Pollinator plant

Garden lobelia

Lobelia erinus

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Common names

35 names · 22 languages
EnglishYour language
+3 more namesShow fewer names
Other languages (21)
Dutch
French
Chinese (Simplified)
Chinese (Traditional)
  • 南非半邊蓮 (翠蝶花)[3]
Czech
  • lobelka modrá[3]
Estonian
  • aedlobeelia[3]
  • sinilobeelia[3]
Finnish
  • sinilobelia[3]
German
Hebrew
  • לובליה שרועה[3]
Japanese
  • ルリチョウソウ[3]
  • ルリミゾカクシ[3]
Lithuanian
  • Paprastoji lobelija[3]
Norwegian
  • hagelobelia[3]
Polish
  • Lobelia przylądkowa[3]
Portuguese
Russian
  • Лобелия ежевидная[3]
  • Лобелия эринус[3]
Slovak
  • lobelka drobná[3]
Sotho
  • mahlo-a-konyana[3]
  • napjane-ea-phiri[3]
  • tsoinyane[3]
Swedish
  • kaplobelia[3]
Turkish
Ukrainian
  • Лобелія садова[3]
Zulu
  • impenjana[3]
  • incamathela[3]
  • isidala esiluhlaza[3]
Sources & name notes (3)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Catalogue language labels are reviewed separately from botanical source records.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Lobelia erinus — Plant Toolbox common names ↗

NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox; English common names in a United States horticultural reference.

Source records
  • Edging lobelia — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(1); heading: Common Name(s):; Lobelia erinus.
  • Garden lobelia — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(2); heading: Common Name(s):; Lobelia erinus.
  • Lobelia — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(3); heading: Common Name(s):; Lobelia erinus.
  • Trailing lobelia — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(4); heading: Common Name(s):; Lobelia erinus.
[2] Lobelia erinus — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy. This is a common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • Edging Lobelia — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 77797; Lobelia erinus.
  • Blaue Lobelie — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 77797; Lobelia erinus.
  • Männertreu — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 77797; Lobelia erinus.
  • Bedding Lobelia — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 77797; Lobelia erinus.
  • Common Lobelia — results[0].names[12]; taxon id 77797; Lobelia erinus.
  • Garden Lobelia — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 77797; Lobelia erinus.
  • Lobélie érine — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 77797; Lobelia erinus.
  • Tuinlobelia — results[0].names[28]; taxon id 77797; Lobelia erinus.
  • Lobélia-azul — results[0].names[30]; taxon id 77797; Lobelia erinus.
[3] Lobelia erinus — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • Edging Lobelia — results[4].names[11]; taxon id 77797; Lobelia erinus.
  • Blaue Lobelie — results[4].names[4]; taxon id 77797; Lobelia erinus.
  • Männertreu — results[4].names[3]; taxon id 77797; Lobelia erinus.
  • Bedding Lobelia — results[4].names[2]; taxon id 77797; Lobelia erinus.
  • Common Lobelia — results[4].names[12]; taxon id 77797; Lobelia erinus.
  • Garden Lobelia — results[4].names[1]; taxon id 77797; Lobelia erinus.
  • Lobélie érine — results[4].names[6]; taxon id 77797; Lobelia erinus.
  • Tuinlobelia — results[4].names[28]; taxon id 77797; Lobelia erinus.
  • Lobélia-azul — results[4].names[30]; taxon id 77797; Lobelia erinus.
  • lobelka modrá — results[4].names[5]; taxon id 77797; Lobelia erinus.
  • sinilobeelia — results[4].names[7]; taxon id 77797; Lobelia erinus.
  • aedlobeelia — results[4].names[8]; taxon id 77797; Lobelia erinus.
  • 南非半邊蓮 (翠蝶花) — results[4].names[9]; taxon id 77797; Lobelia erinus.
  • hagelobelia — results[4].names[10]; taxon id 77797; Lobelia erinus.
  • sinilobelia — results[4].names[13]; taxon id 77797; Lobelia erinus.
  • ルリミゾカクシ — results[4].names[14]; taxon id 77797; Lobelia erinus.
  • kaplobelia — results[4].names[15]; taxon id 77797; Lobelia erinus.
  • Лобелия эринус — results[4].names[16]; taxon id 77797; Lobelia erinus.
  • Lobelia przylądkowa — results[4].names[17]; taxon id 77797; Lobelia erinus.
  • ルリチョウソウ — results[4].names[18]; taxon id 77797; Lobelia erinus.
  • Paprastoji lobelija — results[4].names[19]; taxon id 77797; Lobelia erinus.
  • 六倍利 — results[4].names[20]; taxon id 77797; Lobelia erinus.
  • mahlo-a-konyana — results[4].names[21]; taxon id 77797; Lobelia erinus.
  • napjane-ea-phiri — results[4].names[22]; taxon id 77797; Lobelia erinus.
  • tsoinyane — results[4].names[23]; taxon id 77797; Lobelia erinus.
  • impenjana — results[4].names[24]; taxon id 77797; Lobelia erinus.
  • incamathela — results[4].names[25]; taxon id 77797; Lobelia erinus.
  • isidala esiluhlaza — results[4].names[26]; taxon id 77797; Lobelia erinus.
  • לובליה שרועה — results[4].names[27]; taxon id 77797; Lobelia erinus.
  • Лобелія садова — results[4].names[29]; taxon id 77797; Lobelia erinus.
  • lobelka drobná — results[4].names[31]; taxon id 77797; Lobelia erinus.
  • Лобелия ежевидная — results[4].names[32]; taxon id 77797; Lobelia erinus.
  • Lobelya — results[4].names[33]; taxon id 77797; Lobelia erinus.
Plant references

Source-backed information

Published observations for this plant. Each reference supports the information beside it.

Botanical family
Campanulaceae

Genus-level classification for Lobelia; this does not confirm the complete catalogue name.

Sources [1]
Taxonomy
NC State Extension publishes a profile under Lobelia erinus.

Profile-name match; no accepted-name status is asserted.

Sources [2]
Mature height
0.15–0.23 m

NC State Extension profile. Converted from the source range in feet and inches; mature size varies with growing conditions.

Sources [2]
Mature spread
0.15–0.3 m

NC State Extension profile. Converted from the source range in feet and inches; mature size varies with growing conditions.

Sources [2]
Plant habit
Erect; Spreading

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Life cycle
Annual; Perennial

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Moisture and drainage
Good Drainage; Moist

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)

NC State Extension profile. These source categories do not certify the catalogue’s numeric pH interval.

Sources [2]
Flowering season
Spring

NC State Extension profile. Seasons reflect the source region and do not verify the catalogue’s exact flowering months.

Sources [2]
Reported wildlife attraction
Listed as attracting: butterflies, pollinators.

NC State Extension profile. Broad wildlife categories; this does not establish flower visits by a named bee species or quantify nectar and pollen.

Sources [2]
Native range
Trop. & S. Africa.

Explicit native locality records in Kew WCVP v16; introduced and doubtful distributions excluded. Continent conversion follows the documented geographic mapping.

Sources [3]
Catalogue ratings

Who this plant supports

Honey bees

Medium suitability
Nectar value Medium
Pollen value Unknown
Plant profile

About this plant

Edging lobelia (Lobelia erinus) is a herbaceous plant. It flowers from June to October.

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Catalogue of Life Lobelia — Catalogue of Life COL26.8

    COL26.8 (2026-08-20). Contributing checklist: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World. This is taxonomic evidence, not an independent ecological study.

    Supports: Botanical family
    Relevant sections
    • Botanical family: NameUsage.tsv line 3540838; ID 8VYZ5; rank genus; status accepted

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 4.0.

  2. NC State Extension Lobelia erinus — Plant Toolbox

    NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. Growing conditions and seasons reflect its United States horticultural context.

    Supports: TaxonomyMature heightMature spreadPlant habitLife cycleLightMoisture and drainageSoil textureSoil pHFlowering seasonReported wildlife attraction
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: Main botanical heading (h1)
    • Mature height: Dimensions / Height
    • Mature spread: Dimensions / Width
    • Plant habit: Habit/Form
    • Life cycle: Life Cycle
    • Light: Light
    • Moisture and drainage: Soil Drainage
    • Soil texture: Soil Texture
    • Soil pH: Soil pH
    • Flowering season: Flower Bloom Time
    • Reported wildlife attraction: Attracts

    Source checked on .

  3. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Lobelia erinus — Kew WCVP native distribution

    Native distribution and taxonomic treatment from the official WCVP v16 export (4 June 2026). The link opens the corresponding POWO taxon. Source rows are retained in the native-range audit archive.

    Supports: Native range
    Relevant sections
    • Native range: WCVP v16; wcvp_names.csv lines 1199136; wcvp_distribution.csv native locality lines 478192, 478193, 478194, 478195, 478196, 478197, 478198, 478199, 478200, 478201, 478202, 478203, 478204, 478205, 478206, 478207, 478208, 478209, 478210, 478211, 478212, 478213

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.