PlantFiles: Edging Lobelia, Annual Lobelia, Trailing Lobelia
Lobelia erinus

I've had mixed results with this lobelia. Last year I planted in the ground where it produced some flowers, but also looked leggy with blackened foliage. This year I put it in a container that gets morning sun and afternoon shade. I've had vigourous, healthy plants and a profusion of blooms. My guess is that it doesn't appreciate clay soil.

I love, love, love, this annual. There are a few colors my local greenhouse carries. I like the blue moon, sky moon, half moon (in blue of course)....I like that the foliage has a more reddish hue as it ages.
.I have clay soil that is neutral to slightly alkaline. I have planted this two years in a row in hot sunny dry southern exposure here in zone 5 NW OH. It does need water in the dog days but a wonderful addition to any garden.

Very neat and compact-great color.

This is my favorite "throw it in the ground and watch it thrive" plant. A few minutes of work turns into a cascade of green foliege and blue flowers that asks only to be kept moist (a couple times a month chore here in Seattle), and comes back strong as ever the next year. I've had great luck with it blooming in low sun to partial shade.

One of my favorite annuals. In our area Zone 5b, I use lobelia in areas that get only a couple of hours of morning sun or bright shade (to the side of a birds nest spruce and in my shade garden), and they bloom from late spring sometimes all the way through till frost! Wonderful to look out and see those bright blue flowers waving back! Favorites are Midnight Rivera and Blue Moon.

I also planted "crystal palace" some problem with germination (might be slugs) but the one that grew made it worth it. "Charming" comes to mind. It's in the ground next to a lavender alyssum, nice together. Folliage starts green, turns reddish-purple. Flowers purple-blue w/white center. will see if it survives summer heat (zone 11). Will be trying again for more of these. Tiniest seeds I've ever seen, dust is bigger.

If there was a "Positive times 10" rating, I would choose it for this plant. I planted 'Crystal Palace' last fall, and this supposed annual is blooming AGAIN. This after a season of unusually wet weather, with freezing temps down to about 30 F a few times between precipitous days. The soil is quite clay-like, and it gets rather baked on hot, dry days like today, but there they are, those electric blue flowers and the thick green-bronze foliage, waving at me in the front yard.

I love the electric blue color of these. In my zone, this lobelia is a cool season annual. It performs unpredictably because it can't tolerate wet, cold conditions. In dry winters it puts on a splendid display for months. Winters with lots of rain, they rot away in days.

Although in previous years this plant has never worked for me, this year it excelled. I think the answer was to put it in full sun (bearing in mind that I live in Wales (UK), so my kind of full sun has clouds in it) and I gave it good drainage, regular watering & fresh from the bag compost to root in. It spread like wildfire, covering the centre of my lawn with a constantly reflowering mass of blue which the bees and butterflies appreciated no end. Despite previous failures then, I think I've cracked it & will definately pursue this in future seasons...particularly in a cascade of pots I think...but that's a comment for the future if it works.

Color: RIVIERA MIDNIGHT BLUE:
Light Requirements:zone 9-10 = SHADE TO PART SHADE
Hight: 5 inches
Uses:EDGINGS, ROCK GARDENS, WINDOW BOXES.
Care: WELL DRAINED BUT KEEP MOISTED IN HOT WEATHER.