Scarlet Blooms

Lobelia

Yesterday while browsing some of the big box stores for available bulb selections, I came across this brilliant red Lobelia aptly named ‘Fan Scarlet’.  For some reason I’ve never grown any Lobelias in my garden.  This fall I corrected this slight by adding a purple blooming cultivar named ‘Vedraiensis’ which hasn’t flowered yet and now this red variety.  ‘Vedraiensis’ prefers a more shady location in the garden.  However ‘Fan Scarlet’ can be grown in an area that receives 6 or more direct hours of sunlight daily.  These showy spikes of red blooms attract butterflies and hummingbirds.  This asset alone was a big selling point for me.   I did notice all the hummingbirds that some of you  attracted this year with your red & orange tubular blooms.  Therefore  I decided I needed more red tubular shaped blossoms in the garden next season.  I planted ‘Fan Scarlet’ in the border bed combined with Stella d’Ora  Daylillies and purple Liatris.  There is also some Peacock Orchids that bloom later than the other two.  It should be a stunning combination next summer if all three happen to bloom at the same time.   Here are the basic facts on my new addition:

• Plant in Full Sun-Part Sun bed
• Grows at a fast rate from 18″ in width to 30″ in height
• Can be grown in sandy, clay or normal soil
• Will tolerate average, moist or wet soils
• Blooms Mid summer – Mid Fall
• Great in a border or container planting
• Has a compact bushy habit
• Harmful if eaten
• Foliage turns bronze in the fall
• Hardy in zones 5-9 (with protection in zone 5)