Lobelia It is a genus belonging to the Campanulaceae family that groups approximately 437 species of herbs and shrubs. They are annual and perennial species, some with terrestrial habits and others with aquatic habits..
Lobelias are plants with woody stems at their base, flexible and thin. The leaves are light green in color with a strong aroma and sharp smell. The flowers of these plants are small and tubular, but they are present in great numbers.
In addition, the flowers are arranged in terminal racemes or on ears, although solitary flowers can be found. The color of the flowers varies according to the species or variety and you can find colors such as blue, purple, red or white..
These plants have certain properties due to substances they contain such as lobeline, which is used as a stimulant and relaxant. It is a genus that is easy to grow and very attractive in gardens..
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They are generally herbarium and shrub plants, annual or perennial. Herbs are sufrutic and shrubs latescent. The stem of these plants is woody at its base, while being flexible and thin.
The leaves of the plants of this genus are simple, serrated with a tendency to sub-integers and the teeth callus. In addition, they have a strong aroma and a sharp smell. The light green color is characteristic of the leaves of this genus.
The flowers are tubular and have a calyx with five unequal teeth, the corolla is monopetal and irregular with a cylindrical tube longer than the calyx. The limbus is divided into five lanceolate parts.
Normally, the flowers are arranged in terminal clusters or in the axils of the upper leaves of the plant. The flowers are inverted, bibracteolate and subject to a pedicel..
In turn, these flowers have striking colors that make them very attractive in gardens. These colors range from blue or purple flowers to red or white..
-Kingdom: Plantae.
-Phylum: Tracheophyta.
-Class: Equisetopsida.
-Subclass: Magnoliidae.
-Superorder: Asteranae.
-Order: Asterales.
-Family: Campanulaceae.
-Subfamily: Lobelloidae.
-Gender: Lobelia L. (1753).
The gender Lobelia is distributed throughout the United States, Brazil, China, Colombia, Honduras and Mexico.
It is found in tropical and subtropical regions at an altitude that ranges from 0 to 4000 meters above sea level. The environment it occupies must be from humid to marshy, and some varieties can be cultivated in places where the cold climate is the predominant.
Plants of this genus have medicinal properties thanks to the chemicals they contain. For example, some of the active alkaloids they contain are lobeline, lobelanidine, and norlobelanidine. Among them, lobeline is a carotid stimulant for humans.
One of the applications of this plant is that when it is added to cigarettes in very small amounts, it acts as a kind of euphoria similar to that caused by marijuana.
Lobeline also acts as a stimulant and a relaxant at the same time. In this sense, small amounts act as stimulants and larger amounts act as sedatives..
On the other hand, plants of the genus Lobelia are considered one of the best acting herbal expectorants, as well as a powerful emetic.
Some species like Lobelia inflata they were used as tobacco at the beginning of the 19th century. However, its consumption in excess or in high doses can become toxic.
The gender Lobelia it comprises an approximate of 437 species. Some of the representative species are: Lobelia cardinalis, Lobelia inflata, Lobelia eckloniana, Lobelia ionantha, Lobelia schmitzii, Lobelia chinensis, Lobelia clavata, Lobelia comosa, Lobelia darlingensis, Lobelia dodiana, Lobelia hybrida, Lobelia jaliscensis, Lobelia puberifin, Lobelia puberifin, Lobelia sperifin, Lobelia puberifin, among other.
It is commonly known as foxtail, talclote, purple lobelia. It is part of the landscape of grasslands and edges of fields or parcels with a striking inflorescence that looks like a tail.
It is a herbaceous plant about 15 to 70 cm tall, with alternate, sessile leaves. The flowers have a blue tube-shaped corolla with several perforations. The central root is woody.
It is a plant that has bright red flowers, similar to the costumes of the cardinals of the Catholic Church. That is why the name of this species is due.
The Grumpy Lobelia It is a 20-65 cm tall grass that forms part of the vegetation on the edges of roads and high areas. It is distributed in Mexico and the extreme south of the United States. It is commonly known as Flor de María.
It has alternate leaves with petioles, erect stem with ascending green to purple branches towards its base. The flowers are blue or blue-purple and are 1.3 to 2.2 cm long. The flowers have 5 lobes at their upper end.
They have a dried fruit in the form of a capsule that opens through shells. The seeds are small, smooth and brown in color..
It is commonly known as Indian tobacco, horse killer, or asthma herb. The flower of this plant is fragile and light blue-violet in color with a yellow part. It is about 80 cm tall and is a biennial plant.
It is distributed in southeastern Canada in Nova Scotia, to southeastern Ontario and British Columbia. It is also located in the United States.
It is a very toxic plant whose consumption can cause vomiting, hypotension, tachycardia, seizures and death from respiratory paralysis. Its use is recommended in an emergency to treat asthma, chronic bronchitis and respiratory failure.
The Lobelia inflata It contains lobeline which contains a chemical composition similar to nicotine. Therefore, the aborigines smoked the dried leaves of this plant, but for medicinal purposes.
The leaves, flowers and seeds of this plant are used. However, it is the seeds that produce the most potency due to the piperidine alkaloid..
Plants Lobelia they are easy to grow, are treated like annuals, and are commercially available as ornamentals. These plants are generally not affected by major growing problems..
Optimal lighting conditions are those in a shaded or semi-shaded position. However, they require a certain amount of light, but in the cooler hours of the day..
Regarding the way of cultivation, these are usually in pots or directly in the ground, in which case they look beautiful as borders due to the varied coloration of their flowers.
Irrigation for these species must be carefully regulated, observing the evaporation of water from the soil surface between one irrigation and the next..
Care should be taken to offer a good fertile mantle based on peat and sand. In this way, the soil is enriched while promoting good drainage..
From spring to summer, a type of liquid fertilizer in medium concentrations or doses must be supplied together with the irrigation water..
The fertilizer used must contain nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, in addition to microelements such as manganese, iron, copper, zinc, boron, magnesium, molybdenum, since all of them are necessary for the growth of these plants..
Pruning is not indicated or recommended for species of this genus. Maintenance is carried out by removing dry or damaged branches to prevent them from becoming the focus of parasitic diseases..
In this regard, it is necessary to disinfect the tools used either by applying alcohol or fire, to prevent other tissues from becoming infected..
The multiplication of these plants occurs through seeds. These must be grown in pots or in seedbeds.
The seeds are planted in late winter, in February or March, using a fertile sandy substrate..
Trays with seeds or seedbeds should be kept in the shade at a temperature of 18 ° C, ensuring constant humidity until the germination of the seeds is observed..
In the seedbed conditions, those plants that are not observed with a certain vigor must be eliminated to guarantee a better development of the plants that present more robustness..
In many species of Lobelia there are small animals known as aphids, which are commonly known as aphids. These animals can be controlled with specific products that are available in garden stores.
Another condition seen in these plants is yellowing of the leaves. This manifests as a splash of brownish-yellow spots, with a subsequent curling of these leaves that ultimately fall to the ground..
Also, cobwebs can be seen on the underside of the leaves. In this case, the attack is by mites, the spider mite or spider mite. Here, the treatment can begin with the increase of the nebulisations or aspersions, since the lack of humidity favors the development of these animals; however, when the infestation is severe, specific chemicals should be used.
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