Lobelia
A trailing edging and hanging-basket favourite that needs consistently moist soil - baskets in particular dry out fast in summer wind. Keep seedlings warm and sheltered until they reach about 5cm before planting out.
- Sun
- partial sun
- Water
- moderate
- Spacing
- 10cm
- Difficulty
- beginner
- Grows in
- Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Hamilton / Waikato, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Napier / Hawke's Bay, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson, Tasman, Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast, Christchurch / Canterbury, Dunedin / Otago, Invercargill / Southland
- Mature height
- 15cm
- Flowering season
- Jan, Feb, Mar, Nov, Dec
When to plant by region
In Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne and Napier / Hawke's Bay: April and August-October. In Hamilton / Waikato, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson, Tasman, Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast, Christchurch / Canterbury, Dunedin / Otago and Invercargill / Southland: September-October.
Growing stages
Germination & planting
- Keep seedlings warm and sheltered until they reach about 5cm before planting out
- Space plants around 10cm apart in a partial-sun spot
Establishment
- Needs consistently moist soil while establishing
- Baskets and containers in particular dry out fast in summer wind
Vegetative growth
- Trailing habit suits edging and hanging baskets
- Keep soil consistently moist, checking baskets more often than garden beds
FloweringNovember to March
- Flowers heaviest with consistent moisture, so don't let baskets or beds dry out over summer
- A partial-sun spot suits it best, since full baking sun dries out its shallow roots even faster