This vivid blue wildflower is blooming and getting noticed nationwide
iNaturalist Community
Native Plants
If you've got a damp spot along a stream, pond edge, or low garden corner, this native perennial thrives there and its late-summer blue spikes are a magnet for bumblebees and hummingbirds.
Great blue lobelia is a tall wildflower with clusters of vivid blue flowers that grows in wet meadows, along streams, and in soggy garden beds. Right now people across the country are spotting it in bloom and logging it on iNaturalist, with 735 confirmed sightings in just one week. That surge tells you it's peak season, so if you've got a damp corner of your yard, keep an eye out.
Key Findings
735 research-grade observations of Lobelia siphilitica logged in a single week
Species ranked among the most-observed plants on iNaturalist this week
Timing (late August) aligns with the plant's typical late-summer bloom period in wet habitats
chevron_right Technical Summary
Great blue lobelia, a striking blue wildflower, is having a big moment on iNaturalist with 735 verified sightings logged this week, meaning it's actively blooming and easy to spot right now.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
Trending: great blue lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica) — 735 observations this week
great blue lobelia is among the most observed plant species this week with 735 research-grade observations.
open_in_new Read full abstractAbstract copyright held by the original publisher.
Species Mentioned
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Lobelia siphilitica, the great blue lobelia, great lobelia, or blue cardinal flower, is a plant species within the family Campanulaceae. It is an herbaceous perennial dicot native to eastern and central Canada and United States. There are two recognized varieties of Lobelia siphilitica, var. siph...