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Bella Donna Lobelia

Lobelia erinus 'Bella Donna'

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Bella Donna Lobelia (Lobelia erinus 'Bella Donna') at Roger's Gardens

Bella Donna Lobelia flowers

Bella Donna Lobelia flowers

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Height:  6 inches

Spacing:  8 inches

Sunlight:  partial shade 

Hardiness Zone:  9b

Group/Class:  Bella Series

Ornamental Features

Bella Donna Lobelia features dainty deep purple flowers with white centers at the ends of the stems from mid spring to mid fall. Its tiny narrow leaves remain green in color throughout the season.

Landscape Attributes

Bella Donna Lobelia is an herbaceous perennial with a trailing habit of growth, eventually spilling over the edges of hanging baskets and containers. It brings an extremely fine and delicate texture to the garden composition and should be used to full effect.

This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep. Trim off the flower heads after they fade and die to encourage more blooms late into the season. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Bella Donna Lobelia is recommended for the following landscape applications;

  • Mass Planting
  • Rock/Alpine Gardens
  • Border Edging
  • General Garden Use
  • Groundcover
  • Hanging Baskets

Planting & Growing

Bella Donna Lobelia will grow to be only 6 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 10 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 8 inches apart. Its foliage tends to remain low and dense right to the ground. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 5 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!

This plant should be grown in a location with partial shade or which is shaded from the hot afternoon sun. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America. It can be propagated by cuttings; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

Bella Donna Lobelia is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in hanging baskets. Because of its trailing habit of growth, it is ideally suited for use as a 'spiller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the edges where it can spill gracefully over the pot. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.

 
 
Hardiness Zone Plant Height Minimum Sunlight
Characteristics
Massing  Rock  Edging  Garden  Groundcover  Basket 
Applications
Flowers  Texture 
Ornamental Features