I purchased this tiny starter plant from a nursery about a month ago because I thought it looked pretty and would brighten up my balcony.

Has anyone grown this before and have any care advice? The tag from the nursery recommended full sun but I'm fairly certain I've scorched the leaves a bit so I've moved it into the shade.

I have grown it once only, but I think it will do fine in a container with some other plants to shade it a bit through the hot part of the day. It's a beautiful spiller at the edge of a pot or great in a border bed.

It likes fertile, moist soil. Don't overwater, and put it in a shaded area until the other plants get big enough to shelter it in the noonday heat.

Hope this helps. I love all the blue flowers!

The annual Lobelia comes in many blues. The dark violet blue with the white eye can grow two ways, it can be compact plants for little round bold pops of color in flower beds or they can be nice long trailers to fall over and out of a hanging basket.But either take full sun . They will grow in shade but be a looser plant with not as dense a flower show. Their preference is full sun where I live in the Pacific Northwest.

Lobelia likes moisture, and they don't like very hot weather. I have to say I'm surprised to see full sun.

Where are you planning on putting them?

I had them as spillers in my containers a couple years ago in full sun and every one died by mid July, and I live in NY, so it's not blistering hot here. If I let the pot dry out once... that was it, they were not coming back. Other plants would wilt then bounce back, but these babies crisped up like nobodies business. Last year I had them in hanging baskets on the north side of the house and they did much better, but they weren't prolific bloomers once July came around.

I kind of think of these as cool weather early blooming fillers, almost like pansy and snapdragon, while you wait for the summer annuals to ramp up. For me they did better out of direct sun. I would definitely give them some afternoon shade for the hottest parts of the day.

I have been growing Lobelia for many years.... I no longer put them pots at all...they do much better in the ground. They do not compete well against everything else in the pot with them, ... they are wimps in other words! I know the tag says "full sun" but they will only thrive there (in the ground) with fertilizer & moisture. Plant them in the ground with a little shade in the hot afternoon and they will do well.

They really need some shade from hot afternoon sun. Here in Arkansas they fade out by June, they don't seem to like hot summer temperatures. I agree with a previous post about them in pots. They do best by themselves.

I planted some in my sunny garden last year and they fried to a crisp.

I'm confused about this plant. If it is a perennial that can't survive north of Z10, where is the magical place where it doesn't freeze but yet doesn't get too hot for it?

Annual Lobelia (Lobelia erinus)

Got me, Tiffany! I quit buying them. They poop out here in the heat of summer. A waste of my money. Nice spring bloomer, though.

Blue is so hard to find. Why must this plant be difficult? LOL!

Tiffany, try the true blue salvias! A lot easier to grow. 😁 Plus they bloom throughout the summer.

I once grew a light blue trailing Lobelia that had fuzzy leaves. Only ever found it that one year. The leaves and stems were also thicker than the regular variety, like it was on steroids. Bloomed all summer long without a problem.

Lynda, I did! 3 kinds of Salvia. And some Plumbago & Evolvulus. : + )

Steven, Hi & welcome! That sounds like it was a great plant.

Well I am glad to see I am not the only one who kills lobelia.

They live with African daisy, Fresia and Renunculus-
uppity demanding B$%#s- Can't get h0tter than 80, cant get colder than 50 and don't break dormancy until soil is 70- and need FUL SUN- I want to grow them just so I can punch them in the face for being such bit%$^

Paula, seriously LOL!!!!! Maybe you could talk yourself into appreciating them for a few fleeting moments? Like a rainbow? Maybe you are just staying up too late. : + )

I guess I have another few days to enjoy the couple that I got. It's already been above 80 a few times this year.

Ranunculus does die back, doesn't it? Then you save the bulbs for next year?

Yes in my experience ranunculus dies back after blooming in spring . They will rot if in constant damp area.
And the gophers luv 'em...

Just to adding my unsolicited garden experience and 2 cents well maybe 5 cents....with trailing lobelia I have them planted in a constantly shaded area. Early am sun light. They don't like soggy feet. They bloom their lil hearts out til the heat of summer begins and soil dries out. The gophers and deer hate 'em. Probably why they have lasted many years in the garden.

Today's pic it is 78' they have just about shut down.

One year, I had a strawberry pot tripping with white alyssum and lobelia. Then I spent a few years trying to recreate that. Then I gave up.
Bea, is that the annual lobelia or is it another type?

Not sure... what do you think...