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Downy Lobelia

Lobelia puberula

Other common name(s):

Blue Lobelia

Family:

Campanulaceae (Bellflower Family)

Plant Ecoregion Distribution Map

East Central Texas Plains, Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes, Western Gulf Coastal Plain
Northern Post Oak Savanna, Northern Prairie Outliers, Southern Post Oak Savanna
Floodplains and Low Terraces4, Laguna Madre Barrier Island and Coastal Marshes, Mid-Coast Barrier Islands and Coastal Marshes, Northern Humid Gulf Coastal Prairies, Southern Subhumid Gulf Coastal Prairies, Texas-Louisiana Coastal Marshes
Flatwoods, Floodplains and Low Terraces3, Pleistocene Fluvial Terraces, Red River Bottomlands, Southern Tertiary Uplands, Tertiary Uplands

Plant Characteristics

Growth Form

Herbaceous

Height

3
to
4
ft.

Spread

1
to
2
ft.

Leaf Retention

Deciduous

Lifespan

Perennial

Habitat and Care Requirements

Soil Type(s)

Well Drained, Moist

Light Requirement

Sun, Part Shade

Water Requirement

Medium

Native Habitat

Grassland, Woodland

Bloom and Attraction

Bloom Color

White, Blue

Bloom Season

Summer, Fall

Seasonal Interest

Nectar, Pollen

Wildlife Benefit

Butterflies, Nectar Insects, Hummingbirds, Bees

Maintenance

Thrives in a variety of habitats, including woodlands, meadows, and moist, open areas. Adds color to wildflower gardens and supports local pollinators and wildlife. Snails and slugs may damage the foliage.

Comments

Blooms August-October. A herbaceous perennial that may grow 3 to 4 feet tall. Leaves have small teeth and a fuzzy underside. Blue flowers with white to pink centers first mature in late summer and continue into mid-fall. The blooms have one white mark (vs. two on Great Blue Lobelia), and the flowers seem to be on one side. All plant parts are mildly poisonous. Attracts pollinators like bees and butterflies with their nectar.

References

1) http://bonap.net/TDC/Image/Map?taxonType=Species&taxonId=7013&locationType=County&mapType=Normal; 2) https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=LOPU; 3) https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=34529#null; 4) https://portal.torcherbaria.org/portal/taxa/index.php?taxon=Lobelia+puberula&formsubmit=Search+Terms; 5) https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/lobelia-puberula/, 6) https://www.nativeplantsokc.com/product/lobelia-puberula-downy-lobelia/60, 7) https://plantflowerseeds.com/products/lobelia-puberula

Get in Touch

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Contact a local Chapter

State Office Phone: 830.997.9272

State Office Address:
Native Plant Society of Texas
PO Box 3017
Fredericksburg, TX 78624

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