Growing Lobelia in Your Houston, Texas Garden

Lobelias are a wonderful choice for bringing color to your Houston, Texas garden. Many are Texas natives, and their red, blue, white and yellow flowers will bring hummingbirds to your Houston garden. Lobelias can be used as groundcover, and do very well in container gardens, too. Many varieties are a great choice for rock and woodland gardens. Lobelias enjoy the cool weather of Houston, Texas winters, and some will keep on blooming right through December and January. They vary in height from three inches to three feet, and make a terrific choice for mixed borders. If you think you would enjoy growing Lobelias in your own Houston, Texas garden, try planting some of the varieties below.

Cardinal Lobelia. The beautiful red flowers of this Texas native will bring hummingbirds to your Houston, Texas garden. Plant these Lobelias in partial sun, where they will blossom in October and November. These perennials are a great choice for mixed borders, or for a Houston, Texas woodland garden. Be sure to keep them well watered, and expect heights of up to three feet. Cardinal Lobelias are very hardy, and will survive the Houston, Texas winter without any problems.

Edging Lobelia. These pretty Lobelias have tiny blue, purple and white flowers that will brighten up your winter days. Plant them in either morning or filtered sun in your Houston, Texas garden and enjoy their blooms from November through May. Edging Lobelias have a beautiful way of cascading that makes them a lovely choice for containers or shade gardens. These hardy flowers will survive the Houston, Texas winter easily, but they do not like the summer. Edging Lobelias will do best in soil with good drainage, and will grow to be about six inches tall.

Mexican Lobelia. The tubular red and yellow flowers of these Lobelias will bring hummingbirds to your Houston, Texas garden. This is a great choice for groundcover in your garden, but it can be aggressive so keep your eye on it. Mexican Lobelias will grow to be about three feet tall, and will blossom from spring through fall in your Houston, Texas garden. Plant them in full sun to partial shade, preferably in well-drained soil. These Lobelias are disease resistant, drought tolerant, and can take cold temperatures down to fifteen degrees (unlikely in Houston, Texas.) They are a terrific choice for your rock garden.

Purple Lobelia. These perennials will grow to be about three feet tall in your Houston, Texas garden. They do best when planted in partial shade, and will tolerate full sun as long as it is not afternoon (which may burn them). Purple Lobelias can stand heat and humidity well, and tolerate most types of soil also. They have beautiful dark green leaves.

Blue Cardinal Lobelia. If you enjoy showy blue blossoms, these Lobelias are the perfect choice for your Houston, Texas garden. Plant them in full to partial sun, and they will flower from summer through fall for you. These pretty blue flowers are the perfect choice for edging a mixed border, or your Houston, Texas rock garden.

Source list:

Personal experience

http://www.chron.com/apps/chron_data/plants.mpl