Life Span
Annual
Annual
Type
Flowering Plants, Shrubs
Vegetable
Origin
America
Central America, Mexico
Types
Lobelia aberdarica, Lobelia leschenaultiana, Lobelia canbyi
Slicing, Pickling and burpless
Number of Varieties
4153
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Open areas, River side, Woods
Floodplains, Wet forest
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-97-8
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
8-1
12-1
Sunset Zone
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Cushion/Mound-forming
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
0.54 cm15.20 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
0.38 cm180.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Blue, Red, Violet, White
Yellow, Gold
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Dark Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Cushion
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Fall, Summer
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Well drained
Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Fall, Early Summer, Late Summer, Mid fall, Mid Spring
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Form a Soil ring to water efficiently, Prefer drip-irrigation instead of Over-head watering, Requires watering in the growing season, Use Mulches to help prevent water loss during hot and windy weather, Water twice a day in the initial period
Keep ground moist, Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering, Requires watering in the growing season
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic
Neutral
Soil Type
Well drained
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Cut or pinch the stems, Prune after flowering, Prune to control growth, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads
Prune after flowering, Remove shoots
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Compost, organic fertlizers
Pests and Diseases
Botrytis Blight, Crown rot, Pythium rot, Stem spot
Bacteria wilt, Fungal Diseases, fungus, Fusarium wilt, Leaf spot, Striped cucumber beetles
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Cold climate
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Fine
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Hummingbirds
Ants, Birds, Flying insects, Insects, Rats, Squirrels
Allergy
coma, convulsions, Diarrhea, exhaustion, Nausea, salivation, Vomiting, weakness
Throat itching, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Bouquets, Showy Purposes, Used for decorating walls, fences, gates, hedges, etc.
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Food for animals, Food for birds
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Asthma, Bronchitis, Croup
Antioxidants, Combats Stress, Fiber, Improve heart health, Indigestion, Inflammation, Rich in Iron
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Seeds
Fruits, Seeds
Other Uses
Showy Purposes
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Bog Garden, Edging, Foundation, Hanging Basket, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall
Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Botanical Name
Lobelia laxiflora
MELOTHRIA scabra
Common Name
Lobelia
Mexican Sour Gherkins, cucamelon
In Hindi
Lobelia
Mousemelon
In German
Lobelie
Maus Melone
In French
Lobelia
Mousemelon
In Spanish
Lobelia
Mousemelon
In Greek
λοβηλία
πεπόνι ποντίκι
In Portuguese
Lobélia
melão rato
In Polish
Lobelia
mysz melona
In Latin
Lobelia
mouse melon
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Anthophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Dicotyledonae
Magnoliopsida
Order
Asterales
Cucurbitales
Family
Campanulaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Lobelia
Cucumis
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Melothrieae
Subfamily
Lobelioideae
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
41550
1
27800
👆🏻