At least one plant seems to have liked this long, cool spring. I have lobelia cardinalis coming up in literally every corner of the yard. This is the first time it's happened, and I almost pulled them up thinking they were weeds. Their timing is perfect, as the Jacob Cline is winding down and the hummers are being very picky this year.
It also looks like I may have a stachytarpheta volunteer. I'll wait a couple more weeks to see how it grows. Ah, the joys of lazy gardening!

Priya
Zone 7, Maryland

Lobelias all over here also, especially in the gravel path and brick patio. No, no, no! In the garden please! Mostly the syphilitica, which isn't as nice as the cardinalis, but thrives in this soil. This year I will have to deadhead like fury. It would be nice to find a pretty hybrid, but none of them are blooming yet.

The orange crocosmia is fantastic this year - huge racemes and long blooming. The swamp milkweed keeps setting new flower heads.

Lisa
Central NJ/ z6b
Heat zone 5/6

MMy Lobelia cardinalis has reseeded gently for me the past two years forming several clumps and they have all stayed in the same area which is even nicer since I don't have to transplant them. L. siphilitica got a little out of hand for me so I pulled them all up last year. I tried dead heading but I was killing myself trying to keep up with it. There are probably a few volunteers here and there but I will find them eventually.

Penny
Niagara Falls, NY
USDA zone 6a/6b
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39

Priya, I just love these lobelias! They have not reseeded that I can tell but at least they have returned from last year and are just budding! And It is so nice to have these bloom when the last of the Monardas are just about gone! Both hummer favorites for sure!

Carol
Milford, CT
Zone 6

Priya - our lobelias are blooming nicely this year, too. We've tried different cultivars, but it's the native Lobelia cardinalis that always seems to be the hardiest around here.

Can there be any doubt about the primary pollinator for this plant?



Bud
Southwest Ohio
USDA Plant Zone 6a

Camera: Pentax K20D
Lens: Pentax DA*300 f/4, Sigma 180 f/3.5 Macro
There's 1 or 2 more hummingbird / butterfly pics located here...
http://www.pbase.com/budohio

Oh Bud! That photo perfectly illustrates the host pollination process. Thanks for pointing it out.

Linda V
Connecticut zone 6b