• Photo of Lobelia puberula (Lobelia puberulas)

Plant Profile: Lobelia puberula

Taxonomy: Lobelia puberula

Names

Blue Lobelia, Downy Lobelia

  • Photo of Lobelia puberula (Lobelia puberulas)

Phonetic Spelling:low-BEE-lee-a pub-ER-uh-luh

Genus:Lobelia

Species:puberula

Family:Campanulaceae

Lobelia puberula, commonly known as downy lobelia, is a perennial wildflower belonging to the Bellflower family, primarily found in the eastern and south-central regions of the United States. It stands out as the most prevalent blue-flowered lobelia in the Southeast.

This herbaceous perennial can reach heights of 3 to 4 feet. Its leaves are arranged alternately, featuring irregularly spaced small teeth and a fuzzy underside. The striking blue flowers, which have centers that range from white to pink, begin to bloom in late summer and persist into mid-fall.

Notably, the flowers display a single white marking, in contrast to the two markings found on the Great Blue Lobelia, and they tend to cluster on one side of the plant.

In terms of fire safety, this species has a medium flammability rating.

Seasons of Interest:
- Blooms: Late summer to fall
- Nut/Fruit/Seed: Fall

For further details regarding Lobelia, additional resources are available.

Lobelia puberula Feature Summary

Lobelia puberula Image Gallery

Tags

#hummingbirds
#showy flowers
#poisonous
#perennial
#wildlife plant
#herb garden
#fire
#medium flammability
#NC native
#native garden
#pollinator plant
#native wildflower
#butterfly friendly
#nectar plant late summer
#nectar plant early fall
#nectar plant mid-fall
#pollinator garden
#bee friendly

Similar Plants

Lobelia puberula Feature Summary

Attributes
Eastern and south central United States
Its flowers are attractive to hummingbirds, butterflies and other pollinators.  Bees are pollinators of this plant.
This plant is frequently damaged by deer.
Perennial
Wildlife Food Source
medium flammability
Flowers
The Downy lobelia features irregularly shaped, .75 in. blue flowers with a white center. The upper lip has two lobes and the lower lip has three lobes. The flower spike is often one-sided. Blooms late summer to fall, August-October.
White
Blue
4-5 petals/rays
Irregular
< 1 inch
Leaves
Downy lobelia has soft, alternate leaves, each 1 to 2 inches. The leaves generally have small irregularly spaced teeth. They may be hairy, particularly on the underside.
1-3 inches
Soft
Velvety
Poisonous to Humans
Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, salivation, exhaustion and weakness, dilation of pupils, convulsions, and coma
Alkaloids lobelamine, lobeline, and others, plus a volatile oil
Seeds
Leaves
Stems
Sap/Juice
Flowers
Fruits
Roots
Whole Plant Traits
Perennial
Native Plant
Poisonous
Wildflower
Herb
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasionally Wet
Occasionally Dry
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
4a
4b
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
9a
9b
Landscape
Butterfly Garden
Pollinator Garden
Native Garden
Woodland
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Butterflies
Pollinators
Bees
Hummingbirds
Poisonous to Humans

Lobelia puberula Attributes

Lobelia puberula: Country Or Region Of Origin

Eastern and south central United States

Lobelia puberula: Wildlife Value

Its flowers are attractive to hummingbirds, butterflies and other pollinators.  Bees are pollinators of this plant.

Lobelia puberula: Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems)

This plant is frequently damaged by deer.

Lobelia puberula: Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Lobelia puberula: Recommended Propagation Strategy

Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting

Lobelia puberula: Play Value

Attractive Flowers
Attracts Pollinators
Buffer
Colorful
Defines Paths
Easy to Grow
Edible fruit
Fragrance
Pieces Used in Games
Screening
Shade
Sound
Textural
Wildlife Cover/Habitat
Wildlife Food Source
Wildlife Larval Host
Wildlife Nesting
Wind Break
Wind Shimmer

Lobelia puberula: Fire Risk Rating

extreme flammability
high flammability
low flammability
medium flammability

Lobelia puberula Flowers

Lobelia puberula: Flower Description

The Downy lobelia features irregularly shaped, .75 in. blue flowers with a white center. The upper lip has two lobes and the lower lip has three lobes. The flower spike is often one-sided. Blooms late summer to fall, August-October.

Lobelia puberula: Flower Color

filter_vintage
Blue
filter_vintage
White

Lobelia puberula: Flower Inflorescence

Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel

Lobelia puberula: Flower Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy

Lobelia puberula: Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Lobelia puberula: Flower Petals

2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals

Lobelia puberula: Flower Shape

Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel

Lobelia puberula: Flower Size

1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches

Lobelia puberula Leaves

Lobelia puberula: Leaf Description

Downy lobelia has soft, alternate leaves, each 1 to 2 inches. The leaves generally have small irregularly spaced teeth. They may be hairy, particularly on the underside.

Lobelia puberula: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Lobelia puberula: Leaf Color

spa
Green

Lobelia puberula: Leaf Type

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple

Lobelia puberula: Leaf Arrangement

Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled

Lobelia puberula: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Lobelia puberula: Leaf Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Lobelia puberula: Leaf Feel

Fleshy
Glossy
Leathery
Papery
Prickly
Rough
Rubbery
Slippery
Smooth
Soft
Velvety
Waxy

Lobelia puberula Poisonous to Humans

Lobelia puberula: Poison Symptoms

Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, salivation, exhaustion and weakness, dilation of pupils, convulsions, and coma

Lobelia puberula: Poison Toxic Principle

Alkaloids lobelamine, lobeline, and others, plus a volatile oil

Lobelia puberula: Poison Severity

High
Low
Medium

Lobelia puberula: Causes Contact Dermatitis

No
Yes

Lobelia puberula: Poison Part

Bark
Flowers
Fruits
Leaves
Roots
Sap/Juice
Seeds
Stems

Lobelia puberula Whole Plant Traits

Lobelia puberula: Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Lobelia puberula: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Lobelia puberula Cultural Conditions

Lobelia puberula: Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Lobelia puberula: Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Lobelia puberula: NC Region

Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont

Lobelia puberula: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
4a
thermostat
4b
thermostat
5a
thermostat
5b
thermostat
6a
thermostat
6b
thermostat
7a
thermostat
7b
thermostat
8a
thermostat
8b
thermostat
9a
thermostat
9b

Lobelia puberula: Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Lobelia puberula Fruit

Lobelia puberula: Display/Harvest Time

Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter

Lobelia puberula Stem

Lobelia puberula: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Lobelia puberula Landscape

Lobelia puberula: Landscape Theme

Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden

Lobelia puberula: Resistance To Challenges

Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind

Lobelia puberula: Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland

Lobelia puberula: Attracts

Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees

Lobelia puberula: Problems

Allelopathic
Contact Dermatitis
Frequent Disease Problems
Frequent Insect Problems
Invasive Species
Malodorous
Messy
Poisonous to Humans
Problem for Cats
Problem for Children
Problem for Dogs
Problem for Horses
Short-lived
Spines/Thorns
Weak Wood
Weedy