Lobelia speciosa Tania

Lobelia speciosa 'Tania' is a remarkable hybrid perennial that will bring life to flower beds throughout the summer season. It produces an abundance of flowers from August to October. Its foliage boasts an unusual colouration, combining green, bronze, and purple. The plant forms a beautiful clump of upright and sturdy leafy stems, which are resistant to the wind. The stems are adorned with a multitude of beautifully cut flowers in a bright carmine-pink colour, which is remarkably vibrant and visible from afar in the garden. This excellent variety is easy to grow in full sun or partial shade, in deep, fertile, and relatively moist garden soil. It pairs well with wood sage (Salvia nemorosa) and perennial delphiniums.

Lobelia 'Tania' belongs to the Campanulaceae family. It is a horticultural hybrid resulting from the cross-breeding of several botanical species: L. gerardii, L. cardinalis, L. fulgens, and L. siphilitica. It is a deciduous herbaceous plant, perennial from its stump, with aerial vegetation dying down in winter. Combining the qualities of its parents, 'Tania' is a fast-growing variety, relatively hardy (-10 to -12°C (14 to 10.4°F) at its lowest) and highly floriferous in ordinary soil.

It forms a rosette of deep purple leaves. In spring, a clump of upright and sturdy stems emerges, measuring 70cm (28in), adorned with entire, oval-lanceolate-shaped leaves. Initially purple when very young, these leaves turn greener as the season progresses, but maintain a strongly bronzed colouration. From August onwards, the stems bear numerous pink to red flowers with 2 lips cut into 5 small leaf-like lobes, which are as light as butterflies. This vibrant flowering continues until the first frosts in October.

Lobelia speciosa 'Tania' will have a striking effect when planted in large clumps, in a perennial flower bed, or near a water feature, where it will appreciate moist soil in summer. It can also be grown in a pot on a patio or balcony, with careful attention to watering and fertiliser applications. For example, pair it with Delphinium grandiflorum sinensis (a delightful perennial larkspur), with white foxgloves (Digitalis purpurea 'Alba'), and place a black snakeroot (Cimicifuga 'Brunette') in the background, slightly sheltered from the sun. This perennial also pairs well with Chelone obliqua.