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Compare Lobelia and Natal Plum


Natal Plum and Lobelia


What is

Life Span
Annual  
Perennial  

Type
Flowering Plants, Shrubs  
Shrub  

Origin
America  
Southern Africa  

Types
Lobelia aberdarica, Lobelia leschenaultiana, Lobelia canbyi  
Carissa Carandas  

Number of Varieties
415  
23
4  

Habitat
Open areas, River side, Woods  
Coastal bush land, Sandy areas  

USDA Hardiness Zone
4-9  
9-11  

AHS Heat Zone
8-1  
12-9  

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  
H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24  

Habit
Cushion/Mound-forming  
Cushion/Mound-forming  

Information

Plant Size
  
  

Minimum Height
0.54 cm  
99+
60.00 cm  
99+

Minimum Width
0.38 cm  
99+
60.00 cm  
99+

Plant Color
  
  

Flower Color
Blue, Red, Violet, White  
White  

Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor  
-  

Fruit Color
-  
Hot Pink, Magenta, Purple, Red  

Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green  
Dark Green  

Leaf Color in Summer
Green  
Dark Green  

Leaf Color in Fall
Green  
Dark Green  

Leaf Color in Winter
-  
Dark Green  

Shape
  
  

Leaf Shape
Cushion  
Oval to roundish  

Thorns
No  
Yes  

Season

Plant Season
Fall, Summer  
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter  

Growing Conditions
  
  

Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial shade  
Full Sun, Partial Sun  

Growth Rate
Fast  
Slow  

Type of Soil
Well drained  
Loam, Sand  

The pH of Soil
Acidic  
Acidic, Neutral  

Soil Drainage
Well drained  
Well drained  

Bloom Time
Early Fall, Early Summer, Late Summer, Mid fall, Mid Spring  
Indeterminate  

Repeat Bloomer
Yes  
Yes  

Tolerances
-  
Drought  

Care

Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot  
Ground, Pot  

How to Plant?
Seedlings  
Seedlings  

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  
Average Water Needs  

In Summer
Lots of watering  
Lots of watering  

In Spring
Moderate  
Moderate  

In Winter
Average Water  
Average Water  

Soil
  
  

Soil pH
Acidic  
Acidic, Neutral  

Soil Type
Well drained  
Loam, Sand  

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  
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves  

Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer  
Equal amount of N,P,K  

Pests and Diseases
Botrytis Blight, Crown rot, Pythium rot, Stem spot  
Aphids  

Plant Tolerance
Drought  
Drought  

Facts

Flowers
Yes  
Showy  

Flower Petal Number
Single  
Single  

Fruits
  
  

Showy Fruit
No  
Yes  

Edible Fruit
No  
Yes  

Fragrance
  
  

Fragrant Flower
No  
Yes  

Fragrant Fruit
No  
No  

Fragrant Leaf
No  
No  

Fragrant Bark/Stem
No  
No  

Showy Foliage
No  
Yes  

Showy Bark
No  
No  

Foliage Texture
Fine  
Medium  

Foliage Sheen
Matte  
Glossy  

Evergreen
No  
No  

Invasive
Yes  
No  

Self-Sowing
Yes  
No  

Attracts
Birds, Hummingbirds  
Birds  

Allergy
coma, convulsions, Diarrhea, exhaustion, Nausea, salivation, Vomiting, weakness  
Mildly Toxic  

Benefits

Uses
  
  

Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Bouquets, Showy Purposes, Used for decorating walls, fences, gates, hedges, etc.  
along a porch, deck or patio, Ground Cover, small hedge  

Beauty Benefits
-  
-  

Edible Uses
Yes  
Yes  

Environmental Uses
Air purification  
Air purification  

Plant Benefits
  
  

Medicinal Uses
Asthma, Bronchitis, Croup  
Iron, Potassium, Vitamin C  

Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Seeds  
Fruits  

Other Uses
Showy Purposes  
Cake, Jam, Jelly, Sauces  

Used As Indoor Plant
Yes  
Yes  

Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes  
Yes  

Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Bog Garden, Edging, Foundation, Hanging Basket, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall  
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Edible, Foundation, Groundcover, Hedges, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier, Tropical  

Scientific Name

Botanical Name
Lobelia laxiflora  
CARISSA macrocarpa 'Emerald Blanket'  

Common Name
Lobelia  
Large Num-Num  

In Hindi
Lobelia  
नेटाल बेर  

In German
Lobelie  
Natal Plum  

In French
Lobelia  
natal Plum  

In Spanish
Lobelia  
Ciruela Natal  

In Greek
λοβηλία  
Natal Plum  

In Portuguese
Lobélia  
Natal Plum  

In Polish
Lobelia  
Natal Plum  

In Latin
Lobelia  
Natal Plum  

Classification

Kingdom
Plantae  
Plantae  

Phylum
Anthophyta  
Magnoliophyta  

Class
Dicotyledonae  
Magnoliopsida  

Order
Asterales  
Gentianales  

Family
Campanulaceae  
Apocynaceae  

Genus
Lobelia  
Carissa  

Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots  
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots  

Tribe
-  
Carisseae  

Subfamily
Lobelioideae  
Rauvolfioideae  

Number of Species
415  
99+
20  

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Difference Between Lobelia and Natal Plum

If you are confused whether Lobelia or Natal Plum are same, here are some features about those plants to help you choose better. Many people think that these two plants have the same characteristics, but one can see Lobelia and Natal Plum Information and learn more about it. Fertilizers required for proper growth of Lobelia are All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, whereas for Natal Plum fertilizers required are Equal amount of N,P,K. Hence, one should know the basic difference between Lobelia and Natal Plum if you are planning to have them in your garden to enhance its beauty.

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Importance of Lobelia and Natal Plum

Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Lobelia and Natal Plum. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Lobelia and Natal Plum as they differ in many characteristics such as their life, care, benefits, facts, etc. Every gardener must at least have the slightest clue about the plants he wants to plant in his garden. Compare their benefits, which differ in many ways like facts and uses. The medicinal use of Lobelia is Asthma, Bronchitis and Croup whereas of Natal Plum is Iron, Potassium and Vitamin C. Lobelia has beauty benefits as follows: while Natal Plum has beauty benefits as follows: .

Compare Facts of Lobelia vs Natal Plum

How to choose the best garden plant for your garden depending upon its facts? Here garden plant comparison will help you to solve this query. Compare the facts of Lobelia vs Natal Plum and know which one to choose. As garden plants have benefits and other uses, allergy is also a major drawback of plants for some people. Allergic reactions of Lobelia are coma, convulsions, Diarrhea, exhaustion, Nausea, salivation, Vomiting and weakness whereas of Natal Plum have Mildly Toxic respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Lobelia has no showy fruits and Natal Plum has showy fruits. Also Lobelia is flowering and Natal Plum is not flowering . You can compare Lobelia and Natal Plum facts and facts of other plants too.

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