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My lobelia looks drunk!

gemmab769gemmab769 Posts: 10
in Problem solving
Does anyone know why my lobelia (bee's flame) is growing with curvy stems?? Planted a month or two ago and seems fine other than being wonky!

Posts

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Many plants will droop - lack of water or general climactic conditions, and then they right themselves when weather suits.
    It's quite common for them to drop and get flattened quite severely, if it's very wet for instance, and then they start to grow upwards again when things improve.  :)

    It would be worth moving some of the gravel away from the crown of the plant though  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    That particular type do grow in an arch formation.
    They like to be kept moist, I would also recommend the gravel moved away and plenty of water given. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Ah - that's good to know @Lyn - nothing to worry about then.  :)
    Not a plant I grow - they're slug fodder here, although, like your plot,  they grow well with the wetter conditions. I gave up on them in a previous garden. Just annihilated. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • gemmab769gemmab769 Posts: 10
    @Lyn i didn't realise they were arching - everything i've read says erect or upright stems and all the pictures look straight too, interesting...
    I don't imagine the bizarre mix of extreme heat, rain and wind has helped!
    I wonder what they'll look like next year 
  • Chrissy the gardenerChrissy the gardener Posts: 1,072
    These kind of lobelia do grow straight usually, I grow them but they are shorter and stubbier than yours.I wonder if yours have been in a growing situation where they have stretched for light, I’m sure if you move some gravel away so they will get more moisture they will be up straight next year.
  • gemmab769gemmab769 Posts: 10
    @Chrissy the gardener it was shorter, stubbier and straight when i bought it in July, it's just gone a bit nuts since!
    It's been well watered since it was planted, by me and the torrential downpours, i've moved some of the stones away to make sure it's getting plenty though.
    It's in a wide open area so hasn't needed to reach for light, bit of an odd one! Be interesting to see what it does next year


  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    It's probably produced a lot of soft, lush  growth quite quickly, which can then be trickier for it to support until it gets a good enough root system, but if it's as @Lyn describes, and that's it's natural habit, then it will do that every year.  :)
    It would be straighter as a smaller plant anyway, and then develop that shape as it grows bigger  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    Most are erect, this one can be arching.

    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

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