Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Campanulaceae

Genus:

Lobelia

Species:

Lobelia boykinii

USDA Symbol:

LOBO

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Forb/herb

Height:

60 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Low

Bloom Months:

jul,aug,sep,oct

Bloom Colors:

blue, violet, white

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Butterflies & Moths:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:

★☆☆☆☆ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

bees, butterflies

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Associated with fire-maintained wet pine savannas and Carolina bays; benefits from periodic burning that reduces competition.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

moist, nutrient-rich, organic soil

pH:

5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

tolerates poor drainage

Moisture:

consistently moist

Notes:

often found in wetland areas

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days

Germination Time:

14–30 days

Notes:

Seeds require light for germination; surface sow and keep consistently moist.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI