Garden Lobelia
Lobelia erinus
Its brilliant blue flowers possess ultraviolet nectar guides that are invisible to humans but act as landing strips for bees.
- Scientific name
- Lobelia erinus
- Taxonomy
- Plantae › Tracheophyta › Magnoliopsida › Asterales › Campanulaceae › Lobelia
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- grassland
- Habitat
- Damp grassland slopes, rocky crevices, and coastal fynbos; widely naturalized in urban gardens.
- Diet
- Autotrophic (photosynthesis)
- Range
- South Africa, Lesotho, Eswatini, Global gardens
- Size
- 10-15 cm tall, trailing up to 40 cm wide
- Lifespan
- 1-2 years
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Urban development in native South African habitats, though globally secure through widespread cultivation.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless to touch, but defensive if consumed. The plant contains lobeline, which is highly toxic to humans, dogs, and cats if ingested. Maintain a safe distance for pets. If ingested, monitor for nausea or tremors and seek immediate medical or veterinary care.
Lobelia erinus ( edging lobelia , garden lobelia or trailing lobelia ) is a species of flowering plant in the bellflower family Campanulaceae, native to southern Africa.
Photo: Alexis Tinker-Tsavalas, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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