Lobelia syphilicata – Blue Cardinal flower –

Description

Lobelia siphilicata blooms in mid summer L. siphilitica – Blue Cardinal Flower – Big Blue Lobelia – This clump forming perennial from Eastern USA grows 24-48″ tall and 12″ wide. From erect, leafy stems it carries ovate, oblong, or broadly lance shaped, irregularly toothed, softly hairy, light green leaves, 4-6″ long. From late summer to mid autumn it bears long lasting, tubular, 2 lipped, violet-blue flowers, to 1 ½”’ across, with leafy green bracts, are held in dense racemes, 4-20″ long. Tolerates moist, heavy soils. perennial – Grow these frost hardy to frost tender plants in deep, fertile, reliably moist soil enriched with compost, in full sun or partial shade. They resent wet conditions in winter. Grow aquatic in containers of acidic soil at the margins of a pool or stream. Divide in spring/fall. Prune after flowering to encourage2^nd flush of flowers. Some benefit from a liquid fertilize weekly during the season. Zones 4-8