Re: [SG] Lobelias; Help

Hello Lillian,
        On both the Great Blue and Cardinal Flower lobelias you will know in the
fall if you are going to get to keep the plants over into next year. Both
form offsets, or tiny plants, around the mother crown each fall. Do not
mulch up over the crown as they will rot over winter. Blue will grow just
about anywhere except in an open field in full sun once the roots get
established and it does not severely dry out at flowering time. The red
requires more moisture to keep it and a touch more shade. Both will survive
just about anything if they seed themselves into the site.
        Seed looks like reddish colored dust and should be surface sown and kept
moist. Let it winter over and next spring you should have tiny glossy green
leaves and blooms the first year in many cases. The red is not as long
lives as the Blue.
        Gene Bush     Southern Indiana    Zone 6a     Munchkin Nursery
          around the woods - around the world
genebush@otherside.com     http://www.munchkinnursery.com

----------
> From: Lillian Champion <Liliaceae4@AOL.COM>
> Subject: Re: [SG] Lobelias;  Help
> Date: Wednesday, June 02, 1999 2:28 PM
>
> I can't get the native red or blue Lobelias to grow.    They die out.
The
> fan hybrids come up in spring with variegated foliage which seems to be
what
> plants do when they are only marginally hardy here.  I have tried the
species
> several times and several of the fan hybrids and another hybrids.  The
only
> one which is doing well is 'Wildwood Splendor'.  I know these are
supposed to
> be hardier than zone 7.  It seems like they either rot out in the winter
> (species) or aren't hardy enough and none of this makes any sense as they
are
> supposed to be marginals and hardier than zone 7.  The one that made it
> through the winter and didn't come up with variegated foliage seems to be
> doing fine.
> Lillian
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