| Lobelia (and other Cardinal Flowers) | | | | westward into Mississippi, Arkansas, and Minnesota. |
| Lobelia cardinalis | | | | As with other lobelia relatives, the leaves, stems, and |
| Campanulaceae (bellflower family), Subfamily | | | | blossoms of pale-spike lobelia, L. spicata, were dried |
| Lobeliaceae | | | | and smoked to treat respiratory and circulatory |
| (lobelias) | | | | problems. Indians also used the whole plant to make |
| With its spires of brilliant crimson tubular flowers | | | | medicinal skin washes to treat sores and wounds, |
| waving in the breeze, like the flash of a male cardinal | | | | and it was drunk as an emetic. This perennial herb |
| in flight, the cardinal flower is aptly named. | | | | with pale blue to whitish flowers grows to almost |
| Hummingbirds and swallowtail butterflies frequently | | | | four feet tall in fields and meadows throughout the |
| visit these vivid flowers, the most striking blooms of | | | | region from New Brunswick to Minnesota and |
| our native lobelias. The name lobelia honors a Flemish | | | | southeast to Georgia. Lobelias' pale blue flowers were |
| physician and herbalist, Mathieu de Lobel (1538-1616). | | | | believed to have magical properties, such as the |
| The Latin cardinalis, meaning "principal," was first | | | | ability to ward off ghosts. |
| extended to describe the principal dignitaries of the | | | | Modern uses: |
| Catholic Church and then the distinctive red color that | | | | Contemporary herbalists continue to use lobelias in |
| cardinals wear. Applying the same word to a brilliant | | | | many of the traditional Native American applications. |
| red bird and flower was only another short step. | | | | Upper parts of Indian tobacco, L. inflata, the primary |
| Indian red is another common name for this striking | | | | medicinal herb, are used in tinctures, tablets, and |
| perennial, which can grow three feet tall. These | | | | infusions. It yields several substances similar to |
| plants, with handsome dark green foliage beneath | | | | nicotine, which has led herbalists to use lobelia to help |
| their regal bloom spires, are happy in moist soil, | | | | patients give up smoking. Lobeline, one of fourteen |
| especially around ponds and marshes, yet the species | | | | alkaloids present in L. inflata, goes into commercial |
| adapts well to normal garden conditions. Lobelia is | | | | antismoking lozenges, chewing gums, and patches. |
| found growing in the wild from New Brunswick south | | | | Lobelia is also valued as a respiratory treatment, |
| to Florida and East Texas, and west as far as | | | | especially for bronchial asthma and chronic bronchitis. |
| California. | | | | It relaxes the muscles of the smaller bronchial tubes, |
| The genus Lobelia includes about 375 species native | | | | opening the airways and stimulating breathing. |
| to warm, temperate, and tropical regions. Most are | | | | Combined with cayenne pepper, lobelia has been |
| native perennials and annuals, extensively cultivated, | | | | used as a chest and sinus rub. |
| with distinctive flowers attractive to butterflies and | | | | Cautions: |
| hummingbirds seeking nectar. Several species are | | | | Lobelias are toxic and can act as strong emetics. Do |
| noted drug plants today, and Native Americans | | | | not use them to self-medicate. |
| probably used most of the lobelias throughout their | | | | Growth needs and propagation: |
| range for healing purposes. | | | | Lobelia thrives in rich, moist soils and full to partial sun. |
| Traditional uses: | | | | It prefers slightly acidic to neutral soil and should be |
| Cherokee and Iroquois Indians used strong teas | | | | mulched in winter, especially in northern areas. The |
| made from lobelia roots to treat syphilis, typhoid | | | | other species of lobelia will tolerate mixed soil |
| fever, and stomach problems. Many tribal medicine | | | | typesand dry conditions, and they like full sun. They |
| people also used leaf teas from this herb as nerve | | | | are remarkably enduring and rugged. All, lobelia |
| tonics and to treat cramps. The leaves and blossoms | | | | included, are hardy plants that flower from |
| were dried for use in medicinal smoking mixtures to | | | | midsummer into early fall, when they set seeds. Sow |
| stimulate the heart. The herb was also extensively | | | | the tiny seeds in humus-rich soil and cover them with |
| included in "love medicines" and "love potions" | | | | a thin layer of mulch. They need to overwinter |
| employed by many different tribes. The intense red | | | | outdoors for maximum hardiness. Carefully remove |
| was held sacred and symbolic of the heart and love. | | | | the mulch in spring. Plants from seed will usually |
| Indians smoked the dried leaves of the related Indian | | | | flower in the second year. |
| tobacco, L. inflata, to treat asthma, bronchitis, and | | | | Easy propagation by stem layering and root division is |
| sore throat and to enhance the actions of other | | | | also possible, the latter best done in early spring. Set |
| herbs. This finely hairy native annual blooms with | | | | the roots almost a foot apart with the new buds |
| white to pale blue flowers in spires that can reach six | | | | just at the soil surface. Keep the soil moist. Stem |
| to eight inches high and ripen into small, inflated | | | | layering is easiest to accomplish in midsummer. |
| seedpods after summer. Self-sowing, it is widespread | | | | Carefully bend the stem over until it touches the |
| across eastern fields and open woods from Nova | | | | ground. Stake it, cover a portion of the upper stem |
| Scotia to Saskatchewan and south to Georgia, | | | | with a half inch of soil, and keep this moist. New |
| Louisiana, and Arkansas. | | | | shoots will form and emerge; the stem can be cut |
| Great lobelia, or blue cardinal flower, L. siphilitica, is | | | | between the new shoots in the fall. |
| another related herb long used by Indians for | | | | Companions: |
| medicinal purposes. Centuries ago, they made herbal | | | | Great companion plants are blue flag and sweet flag |
| root decoctions (strong teas) to treat syphilis, while | | | | as well as elderberry shrubs. Angelica and heal-all also |
| leaf teas served to treat colds, headaches, and | | | | go well with lobelias in the garden. |
| stomach problems. Leaves were poulticed on sores | | | | A person who is suffering sleeps on lobelia to learn |
| and used as wound dressings and smoked to treat | | | | the cause of his suffering. Put it under your pillow at |
| respiratory ailments. The slim, attractive perennial | | | | night and dream about your sickness during the night |
| herb, which can top five feet tall, puts forth | | | | to discover what is wrong with you. Only the sick |
| blue-lavender flowers_tightly clustered along the | | | | person does this and the next morning he will know |
| bloom spire. It favors stream banks and open | | | | what medicine to use. |
| meadows from Maine to North Carolina and | | | | |