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Palespike Lobelia

Lobelia spicata

Found in meadows, woodlands, disturbed areas. FloraQuest, phone app (app page) What its natural habitat tells you

52
Strong

Native to Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 94%

Height
2 feet
Light
Deep shade, Full sun, Partial shade
Soil moisture
Somewhat dry to moist
Will it fit your yard?

At a glance

Life cycle
Perennial
Leaves
Deciduous
Bloom
Summer

Not yet recorded · Spread

Recorded in 69 Virginia counties.

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

7CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including VA

Genus host records with ranges including VA · Lobelia

  • Argyrotaenia velutinanaRed-Banded Leafroller Moth, Jack Pine Tube Moth
  • Enigmogramma basigeraPink-Washed Looper Moth
  • Eoparargyractis pleviePlevie's Aquatic Moth
  • Palthis angulalisDark-Spotted Palthis
  • Spodoptera eridaniaSouthern Armyworm Moth
  • Xestia c-nigrumSpotted Cut-Worm, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Lesser Black-letter Dart
  • Xestia dolosaGreater Black-Letter Dart, Greater Spotted Cutworm
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
30BeesSoutheastern regional records

Southeastern regional records · Lobelia

Individual names are not available yet.

Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
0Specialist beesPollen specialists
—BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim
Adult butterflies / moths 4
  • Ancyloxypha numitor
  • Limochores taumas
  • Pholisora catullus
  • Pontia protodice

Flower visits · Carlinville, Illinois, USA

No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Other wasps · Other insects

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Campanulaceae
Hardiness
Zones 3a–8b
Flower color
Blue, purple or white

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope
  • Bloom · “Summer” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide differ)
  • Flower color · “Blue, purple or white” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide differs)
  • Hardiness · “Zones 3a–8b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
  • Height · “2 feet” · Tennessee Smart Yards (ranked first; Minnesota Wildflowers, Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide differ) · Published Tennessee growing guidance; exact cached scientific heading
  • Leaves · “Deciduous” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
  • Life cycle · “Perennial” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
  • Light · “Deep shade (less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight); Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial shade (direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Tennessee Smart Yards, Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide differ)
  • Soil · “Good drainage; Moist; Occasionally dry” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; NC Extension Plant Toolbox, Tennessee Smart Yards, Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide differ)

Conservation status

Virginia rankS5
Global rankG5
VA statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

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How to check your spot

Growing cautions

For planning only; these do not change the score or Fit.

Sources