PEA PODS ARE IN FOR THE WINTER

 Autumn carries more gold 

in its pocket 

than all the other seasons.

jim bishop

Maturing seedpods of the
wild perennial Sweet Pea 
(Lathyrus latifolius)
courtesy of the Yansen Farm,
drying for the Gatehouse collection.
The tray under the seeds is 
a handwoven basket from Buka Island,
in eastern Papua, New Guinea, 1976.
Photograph 13 September 2021.
Shaw Island, San Juan Archipelago, WA.

Seed packets available at the Gatehouse Seeds roadside stand, Reefnet Bay Road, Shaw Island, San Juan Archipelago, Washington.

Eight Feet High with Chilean Color

"Chilean Lobelia tupa"
Growing on Shaw Island,
San Juan Archipelago, WA.
Unenhanced photograph.
September 2021

"Chilean Lobelia tupa"  
A survivor for several winters
on Shaw Island, WA.
 (USDA Zone 8b.)
The photo was taken in August 2021.
Click image to enlarge.
Seed packets are available at 
Gatehouse Seeds, Reefnet Bay Road,
 Shaw Island, San Juan Archipelago, WA.

Botanical name: Lobelia tupa

Common names: "Chilean Lobelia,"  "Devil's tobacco"

Family: Campanulaceae

Origin: Chile

Plant type: Herbaceous perennial

Hardiness: to USDA Zone 07-10

Mature size in 10 years: 8 feet high and 4 feet wide.

Exposure: Sun

Bloom time: July-September.

Moisture needs: Average. Drought tolerant but appreciates occasional watering.

Attracts: Bees, butterflies, hummingbirds

Resistant to: Aphids, rabbits, slugs, snails.

Culture: The best method of propagation for this striking specimen is from seed.

Sowing: Lobelia seeds need light to germinate. Leave them on the surface or cover them with a thin layer of vermiculite. Cover with film and mist every day. Emergence in ca. three weeks. Once 3-4" high and well-rooted, carefully lift and pot on into 4-5" pots with free-draining compost. Grow on for a month or so and then harden off for a week before planting outside. Delay if there is any chance of a late frost. 

Avoid heavy clay and winter wet locations. Cut flower seed stalks to the ground once the foliage begins to fade in autumn.

Winterizing: The cut stalks are useful for a winter blanket in the Pacific Northwest, along with a few fir branches with needles on top for a covering with ventilation. This method of winter protection for the Lobelia has succeeded since 2017 for the specimen growing at the Gatehouse garden in USDA Zone 8b –– not tropical.

There are 300 species of Lobelia, mostly tropical and sub-tropical –– they belong to the bluebell family, Campanulaceae. Some are highly prized as garden ornamentals and for dining for hummingbirds. 
Chilean Lobelia tupa is one of the favored plants growing at the Gatehouse garden along Squaw Bay Road, a darling–– tall, colorful, and comes back to greet us in the spring, if we tucked her in well before winter weather. 

"Chilean Lobelia tupa"
A.K.A. "Devil's Tobacco"
packets available at Gatehouse Seeds,
Reefnet Bay Road, Shaw Island,
San Juan Archipelago, WA.