Lobelia tupa

SophieK

Hello - Would any of you have experience with Lobelia tupa? I would like to know whether I should cut them right back to the ground before winter...

For the record, my L. tupa seem to have decided to be rampant rather than upright, and though I quite like it, I worry the stems will rot altogether during the rainy months. I only got one flower out of 8 plants planted in late Spring, fingers crossed it'll be better next year.

They're still looking good for now though 

Thank you in advance for your feedback.

Lyn

I grew mine from seeds, they’ll die right back through the winter so you can cut them back then. Might as well leave them now, it’s a bit of green. 
They should flower next year, they’re perennials.  They grow very tall so you could stake them to keep upright.

SophieK

@Lyn Thank you very much for your feedback, and for the tip re. staking them, I will definitely do next year!

Inglezinho

Warning: Chilean plant, not fully hardy in UK, which is why I ,and I suspect many others, in UK had never heard of it ! You might get away with it in the heat island of London. It is lovely though. I would be inclined to take a few cuttings now, just in case.

Inglezinho

Sophie, I thought of an idea. It is what I do with my more tender Fuschias. They are deciduous and will shed all their leaves after the first frost. What I do is pile over the stump with fallen leaves. This protects them in very cold weather. If you add a layer of waxy parer, this will keep it dry, which also helps. Chileans do not like cold + wet !

Inglezinho

paper

Silver surfer

In Perth. Scotland in National Trust Scotland  garden at Branklyn, there is a very healthy specimen. 

SophieK

@Inglezinho Thank you very much for your recommendations. I "strulched" that flower bed yesterday, hopefully that will help preserve them (I unfortunately only have a tiny cold frame). I have tried my hands at various cuttings (including that lobelia) but my success rate has been abysmal (just a couple of salvias out of probably 30 - oops), so not sure it's a viable option for me

@Silver surfer Thank you for the beautiful photos. I only had one flower blooming this year but it was impressive like this one. Mine's looking a little wilted now but hopefully all will flower next year.

Lyn

As we are 960’ above SL, it’s always a couple of degrees colder than anywhere else, and windy, they grow well here, as I said, grown from seeds, 

SophieK

@Lyn  Beautiful!! And the Lobelias look great with the crocosmia, very nice combination!

Lyn

Thank you Sophie.