Lobelia valida

Lobelia valida 

Family: Lobeliaceae

Common names: limestone lobelia, galjoen flower, galjoenblom

Branching from the base, the long branches stand proud with their blue flowers densely packed at the top of the stems. The plants grow to about 40 to 60 cm. in height. The light green leaves, scattered along the branches, are flat and soft with coarsely toothed edges.

Sowing instructions: The seed can be sown any time of the year into seed trays filled with a well-drained medium. Sow the seeds thinly as the germination is usually good and cover lightly with sifted soil or white sand. Place the trays in the shade and keep moist. Germination takes about a month, with the young seedlings grow very slowly in the beginning. Prick out the seedlings as soon as they are large enough to handle and grown on in bags until they are big and strong before planting out into the garden.

Locality: De Hoop. Harvest: January 2024