A lovely downy (as the name might suggest) upright plant, Downy Lobelia forms a tall, slender spike above a modest basal rosette, with beautiful blue-lavender flowers running up the stem, usually clustered on one side. Flowers are tube-shaped (August-October), making them favorites of butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, and other pollinators. The dry seed capsules are relatively unnoticeable, but drop loads of extremely tiny seeds, helping this short-lived perennial perpetuate itself in place. Leaves are alternate and slightly toothed, with downy undersides. Tolerates clay, occasional flooding, serpentine barrens, gravel pits, and strongly acid soils, and can be planted in rain gardens.
3-4 foot tall
Plant Hardiness Zones: 5b-9b
Perennial
Deer Resistant
Native Range: NJ south to FL, west to TX and north to IL. Native to Canada in QC. Rare in PA, considered extirpated in MO
Germination - Moderately Difficult: Cold Stratify 8 weeks. Tiny seed. Surface sow.
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