Lobelia tupa
(Devil's Tobacco)
Family - Campanulaceae
Category - Perennial
Origin - Chile
Season of Interest - Summer, Autumn
Hardiness - H4
Height - 1.5m or more
Width - 90cm
Location - The Terrace
Description: Large, clump forming Perennial with an upright habit. Long, grey-green leaves are ovate to lanceolate in shape, pointed at the tips and covered in fine hair. Bright red, two-lipped flowers with maroon calyces are produced in Racemes over a long period from early summer into autumn. This plant is toxic. The leaves were once smoked by Indians tribes in Chile for the hallucinogenic effects.
Flower:
Tubular, two-lipped flowers are bright red and have maroon calyces. Flowers are held in racemes and produced over a long period from June into September, sometimes earlier or later in a warm year.
Flower colour: Red
Flower shape: Tubular flowers in racemes
Flowering time: June, July, August, September
Foliage:
Long, grey-green leaves are ovate to lanceolate in shape and covered fine, white hair. The leaves form a basal rosette from which the flowering stem is produced.
Foliage Senescence: Deciduous
Foliage Shape: Ovate to lanceolate
Poison Information:
This plant is poisonous.
This plant has narcotic effects.
Propagation:
Seed, cuttings.
Cultivation:
Best in full sun in fertile, moisture-retentive, but well-drained soil.