LOBELIA LOBELIA
Cape Lobelia (Lobelia erinus), often called a reed, is a typical border plant. It grows in tufts formed by numerous, thin stems, that pile up or rise upwards. It grows up to the height 20 cm. The leaves are tiny, lancetowate, serrated, tiny flowers, double-lipped, blue, sapphire, purple or white. Plants bloom from June to autumn, very abundantly, so that they are all covered with blossoms. Because the seeds are extremely small, we usually sow them in boxes on the ground and do not cover them, just tapping lightly. We do it in February or March, then, after emergence, we quilt in clusters of several plants, spaced 2X2 cm apart. The seedlings are very small, therefore, during this activity, we use wooden tweezers or a metal tweezers and a thin pin. When the quilted plants grow to this extent, that they will cover the entire surface, we quilt them again, this time to the inspection, and in May we leave them permanently, keeping the distance between the plants – 10-15 cm. Let us always remember, to blow them up in clumps – a few together. Lobelia tolerates transplanting fairly well, even during the flowering period, however, it requires fertile land, plump, a sufficiently humid and sunny place. To extend flowering, we can prune the plants after the first flowering; after some time they will rejuvenate and start to bloom again.
The following varieties are grown: Blue Carpet – show. 10 cm, pure blue flowers, light green leaves; Cambridge Blue – show. 14-16 cm, light blue, light green leaves; Emperor Wilhelm - height. 10 cm, sapphire blue, light green leaves; Cristal Palaces - height. 10 cm, dark, violet-blue. dark leaves, green-brown.
