Lobelia, Official (Lobelia inflata) potted plant, organic

Family: Lobelia (Lobeliaceae)

Hardy to Zones 4 to 9

(Official Lobelia, Indian Tobacco, Pukeweed) Annual, overwintering annual or biennial. Native to the central, southern, and eastern US. Diminutive plant with white flowers that have light-blue spots.  These flowers give way to the characteristic “inflated” seedpods. Traditional usage: Antispasmodic, purgative. Lobelias prefer part to full sun, rich, moist soil, much water. Short-lived seed. Light-dependent germinators. Extra advice on lobelia inflata–if you’re really trying to grow a patch for production, it makes sense to follow the natural cycles for this plant.  In nature, germination is in the fall, after which the low-lying rosette overwinters, and flowers and goes to seed in the next spring to early summer.  If you try to grow it as a spring annual it will probably bolt to flower when the soils warm up in the summer and give very little yield.

Potted Plant, Certified Organically Grown