Lobelia laxiflora var. angustifolia

Lobelia laxiflora var. angustifolia Flower (20/10/2012, Kew Gardens, London)

Position: Full sun

Flowering period: Summer to autumn

Soil: Moist, well drained

Eventual Height: 60cm

Eventual Spread: 40cm

Hardiness: 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a 10b, 11

Family: Campanulaceae

Sub Family: Lobelioideae

Lobelia laxiflora var. angustifolia is a clump forming herbaceous perennial. Its mid green shiny leaves are linear with serrulate margins, up to 7cm long and 1cm broad. Its bright red and yellow flowers are tubular and appear terminally on the plant over a number of months. Its roots are rhizomes which allows its slow spread.

Lobelia laxiflora var. angustifolia, commonly known as Sierra Madre Cardinalflower and Mexican Cardinalflower, is native to the extreme south west of USA and Mexico. All parts of this plant are considered poisonous.

The etymological root of the binomial name Lobelia is named after Matthias de l’Obel (1538 – 1616), a French botanist and herbalist who served James I. Laxiflora is derived from the Latin laxo meaning ‘loose’ and flos meaning ‘flower’. Angustifolia is derived from the Latin angustus ‘narrow’ and folium meaning ‘leaf’.

The landscape architect may find Lobelia laxiflora var. angustifolia useful as part of a prairie type planting scheme.

Lobelia laxiflora var. angustifolia (20/10/2012, Kew Gardens, London)

Ecologically, Lobelia laxiflora var. angustifolia flowers are attractive pollinating insects and nectar feeding birds.

Lobelia laxiflora var. angustifolia prefers moist, fertile, well-drained soils. It tolerates most pH of soil.

Lobelia laxiflora var. angustifolia requires little maintenance.