Overview
Lobelia speciosa 'Sparkling Ruby' is a plant with a trailing, clump forming, bushy habit in the genus Lobelia, part of the Campanulaceae family, with deciduous foliage. Lobelia speciosa 'Sparkling Ruby' grows best in full sun and partial shade, and tolerates most soils and any pH. Its UK hardiness is rated H2. Suggested uses include city and courtyard gardens, cottage and informal garden, patio and container plants, hanging basket and bedding. It is native to Ontario.
About
Lobelia speciosa 'Sparkling Ruby' is a cultivar of the Lobelia genus, a group of flowering plants in the Campanulaceae family. These plants are typically trailing, clump-forming, and bushy with deciduous foliage. 'Sparkling Ruby' thrives in full sun or partial shade and can be grown in a variety of soil types including chalk, clay, loam, and sand, provided the soil is moist but well-drained. Suitable for city and courtyard gardens, patios, containers, hanging baskets, and bedding, this cultivar adapts well to different garden aspects and exposures.
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
Growing conditions
Best soil and position for Lobelia
- Sunlight
- Full sun, Partial shade
- Soil type
- Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
- Soil pH
- Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Moist but well-drained
- Aspect
- South-facing, East-facing, West-facing, North-facing
- Exposure
- Exposed, Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H2
Plant details
Lobelia speciosa 'Sparkling Ruby' size, habit and characteristics
- Habit
- Trailing, Clump forming, Bushy
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Suggested uses
- City and courtyard gardens, Cottage and informal garden, Patio and container plants, Hanging Basket, Bedding
- Native to
- Ontario
Care notes
Pruning and caring for Lobelia speciosa 'Sparkling Ruby'
- Propagation
- Seed sown at 13-18ºC in late winter, Semi-ripe cuttings
- Pest resistance
- Slugs, Snails, Aphids
- Disease resistance
- Crown rot
Frequently asked questions
Where is the best place to plant Lobelia speciosa 'Sparkling Ruby'?
Lobelia speciosa 'Sparkling Ruby' prefers full sun and partial shade. It suits exposed and sheltered positions.
What soil does Lobelia speciosa 'Sparkling Ruby' need?
Lobelia speciosa 'Sparkling Ruby' is adaptable and grows happily in most soil types, including chalk, clay, loam and sand. It is happy in soil of any pH. Aim for soil that stays moist but well-drained.
Is Lobelia speciosa 'Sparkling Ruby' hardy in the UK?
Lobelia speciosa 'Sparkling Ruby' has an RHS hardiness rating of H2, meaning it is tender, tolerating 1–5°C, and needs frost-free protection over winter.
How do I propagate Lobelia speciosa 'Sparkling Ruby'?
Seed sown at 13-18ºC in late winter, Semi-ripe cuttings.
From the Fenn Plants journal
- Notes on DaffodilsWhen to plant daffodil bulbs in the UK, how deep, how to naturalise them in grass, why daffodils stop flowering (“blindness”), and why you should never mix cut daffodils with other flowers.
- Keeping Your NerveHow to garden through a heatwave — the best time to water, why deep soaks beat daily sprinkles, caring for pots and vulnerable plants, and why you can let the lawn go brown.
- Made to LastHow to clean, store and protect garden pots and planters — the frost-proof vs frost-resistant difference, winter care for terracotta and ceramic, and how to reuse a broken pot.
More in the Lobelia genus
- Hypsela reniformis
- Lobelia 'Queen Victoria'Lobelia
- Lobelia fulgensCardinal Flower
- Lobelia laxiflora var. angustifolianarrow-leaved Sierra Madre lobelia
- Lobelia syphiliticaGreat Blue Lobelia
- Lobelia syphilitica 'Blue Peter'Great Blue Lobelia
- Lobelia tupadevil's tobacco
- Lobelia × vedrariensis
