Lobelia siphilitica
Good Qualities:
Year 1:
Color; Good spike size; Beautiful color. Nice as filler in bouquets, lasts forever in a vase, customers loved it.
Year 2:
Wonderful color (2); Such a great flower!!!!; The stems are quite long; they hold up well in a vase; they are easy to grow; they keep on coming; Nice blue, better survival than Lobelia speciosa.
Problems:
Year 1:
Market for Lobelia is weak; Took a while to figure out how to cut it. I finally cut the main stem and then got lots of side stems that weren't as big around but were longer.
Year 2:
None; Showed heat stress on leaves.
Trial Data
Year 1
| Yield (stems/plant) | Stem Length (inches) | Market Appreciation Rating (1) | Repeat Again Rating (1) | Ease of Cultivation Rating (1) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average | 6.5 | 16.0 | 3.2 | 3.2 | 4.2 |
(1) Data shown are from those respondents who harvested stems. Some respondents may not have harvested stems because they were too short. Flowering stems may be longer next year after plants are established. See comments section for more details.
(2) 1 to 5 scale, with 5 being the best. Market ratings are based on sales to wholesalers, retailers, or final consumers direct.
Year 2
| Yield (stems/plant) | Stem Length (inches) | Market Appreciation Rating (1) | Repeat Again Rating (1) | Ease of Cultivation Rating (1) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average | 6.5 | 23.5 | 4.0 | 3.8 | 4.3 |
(1) Data shown are from those respondents who harvested stems. Some respondents may not have harvested stems because they were too short. Flowering stems may be longer next year after plants are established. See comments section for more details.
(2) 1 to 5 scale, with 5 being the best. Market ratings are based on sales to wholesalers, retailers, or final consumers direct.
Supplier
Grow’n Sell
320 Lower State Rd.
Chalfont, PA 18914
215-822-1276
FAX 215-997-1770
www.gro-n-sell.com
Comments:
Year 1:
Similar to other Lobelia (2); One plant is blooming white; Didn't market any this year; Not enough stems blooming at one time to harvest. Nice color; I'd grow this guy again! Couldn't get them all out before frost hit. Just kept on coming!
Year 2:
I just love this one. I was already growing it and my customers love it; This is best of lobelias but I just can’t sell them so I paid no attention to this plant. It did bloom well and looked pretty in the field; I don’t have enough production to really get a sense of market appreciation.