Lobelia anceps L.f.
angled lobelia, swamp lobelia
Sprawling swamp lobelia with small blue, mauve or white flowers – a groundcover for wet and boggy places.
What’s in the name: Lobelia: honours Matthias de l'Obel, a Flemish botanist; anceps: "two-edged".
“He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.”
— Psalm 23:2 (KJV), The King James Version of the Bible (Project Gutenberg)
Available from AVNPlants: see the availability list.
Family
Lobeliaceae
Conservation status
Least Concern, SANBI Red List of South African Plants
Natural distribution & habitat
Widespread in southern Africa (mostly damp coastal sites in the south-west, south and east, also damp inland spots) and in Australia and New Zealand.
Size & form
Variable creeping perennial rooting at the nodes; some stems turn upward to about 45 cm. Narrow leaves 20–100 mm long.
Flowering
November to June.
Uses in landscaping
- Bog gardens, pond edges and around stepping stones
- Can spread from banks onto still or slow water
- Pairs well with yellow Monopsis lutea
Care notes
Grows easily from soft cuttings for most of the year: let the milky sap dry before dipping in rooting powder. Cuttings root in 2–3 weeks and can go straight into damp ground.
Wildlife value
Bees visit and are thought to be the pollinators.
Find out more
Facts checked against: SANBI PlantZAfrica species page 'Lobelia anceps'; SANBI Red List of South African Plants, Lobelia anceps L.f. (assessment 2005/06/30).