Overview
Hypsela reniformis is a plant with a spreading habit in the genus Lobelia, part of the Campanulaceae family, with green foliage. Hypsela reniformis grows best in full sun and partial shade, and tolerates most soils and any pH. Its UK hardiness is rated H4. Suggested uses include rock garden, gravel bed and ground cover.
About
Hypsela reniformis is a spreading member of the Campanulaceae that forms a low mat of green foliage. It performs well in full sun or partial shade and flowers in the UK from June to September. Suitable soils are chalk, loam or sand that remain moist but are well drained. Give it a sheltered, east, south or west-facing spot where it can spread without exposure to strong winds.
About the genus
Lobelia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Campanulaceae comprising 444 species, with a subcosmopolitan distribution primarily in tropical to warm temperate regions of the world, a few species extending into cooler temperate regions. They are known generally as lobelias.
Wikipedia contributors, "Lobelia", CC BY-SA 4.0 — Lobelia
In the garden
Hypsela reniformis sits within the broader Lobelia group in the Campanulaceae and grows as a spreading, mat-forming perennial with plain green leaves. In the UK it is treated as H4, average hardy, so it survives typical temperate winters where plants are not exposed to driving wind or severe winter wet. Flowering runs from June to September, when the mat is clothed in small pink blooms. Plant in full sun or partial shade on soils of chalk, loam or sand that are kept moist but remain well drained; it tolerates a wide soil pH from acid through neutral to alkaline. Choose an east-, south- or west-facing aspect and avoid exposed sites, as a sheltered situation helps maintain its low, spreading habit. Use Hypsela reniformis as a ground cover across gravel beds and rock garden pockets or to knit between stones where the soil is humus‑rich yet does not dry out. It suits edging a small pond margin or filling shallow crevices on a sunny rockery. Expect a season of pink, star-like flowers across the mat from June to September, which emphasise its spreading habit rather than height.
Growing conditions
Best soil and position for Lobelia
- Sunlight
- Full sun, Partial shade
- Soil type
- Chalk, Loam, Sand
- Soil pH
- Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Moist but well-drained
- Aspect
- East-facing, South-facing, West-facing
- Exposure
- Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H4
Plant details
Hypsela reniformis size, habit and characteristics
- Habit
- Spreading
- Foliage
- Green
- Suggested uses
- Rock garden, Gravel bed, Ground cover
Care notes
Pruning and caring for Hypsela reniformis
- Propagation
- Seed, Division in spring
- Pest resistance
- Susceptible to slugs and snails
- Disease resistance
- Generally disease-free
Frequently asked questions
Where is the best place to plant Hypsela reniformis?
Hypsela reniformis prefers full sun and partial shade. It suits sheltered positions.
What soil does Hypsela reniformis need?
Hypsela reniformis is adaptable and grows happily in most soil types, including chalk, loam and sand. It is happy in soil of any pH. Aim for soil that stays moist but well-drained.
Is Hypsela reniformis hardy in the UK?
Hypsela reniformis has an RHS hardiness rating of H4, meaning it is hardy through an average UK winter, tolerating -10 to -5°C.
How do I propagate Hypsela reniformis?
Seed, Division in spring.
More in the Lobelia genus
- Lobelia 'Queen Victoria'Lobelia
- Lobelia syphiliticaGreat Blue Lobelia
- Lobelia syphilitica 'Blue Peter'Great Blue Lobelia
- Lobelia × vedrariensis
- Pratia pedunculata 'County Park'Blue Star Creeper
- Lobelia 'Bees' Flame'
- Lobelia 'Cherry Ripe'
- Lobelia 'Dark Crusader'