LOBELIA, regatta mix, plants, 4-pack

With vivid colorful blooms and a trailing or upright growth habit, lobelia provides outstanding ornamental value to beds, containers, rockeries, and window boxes. And it loves a cool afternoon so it’s perfect for brightening up shady spots in the garden.

Lobelia (Lobelia erinus) is a tender perennial widely grown as an annual plant in most USDA zones. It is commonly sold in the annuals section of the nursery and has a wide variety of uses in the garden. Lobelia spreads, but not aggressively.

Most varieties of lobelia have a somewhat trailing growth habit, although other varieties clump. There are several different flower colors available, but it's well known for its unique true sky blue hue. Other colors include purple, white, pink, and lilac. Most varieties have a tiny white "eye" in the center of each flower. While most varieties have green foliage, a few have a slight bronze tinge to the leaves.

Lobelia's small-but-numerous blooms appear through the summer and into the fall in most climates and attract pollinators, including butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds. Plant it outdoors in the spring and it will begin to flower by early summer. All parts of the plant are toxic to pets and humans.