Lobelia siphilitica

Great Blue Lobelia

[ click on any image below to see larger version ]

Family: Campanulaceae (Bellflower family)

Mid-Atlantic bloom time: late July - October

Like other lobelias, Great Blue Lobelia flowers have 3 lower petal lips and 2 upper petal lips, with the reproductive structures between the 2 upper lips.

Great Blue Lobelia has at least two recognized varieties:
  –  Lobelia siphilitica var. siphilitica, the typical variety found in the eastern United States; it is hairy to varying degrees
  –  Lobelia siphilitica var. ludoviciana, found in the western United States and is mostly hairless

All photos below of are the eastern variety, Lobelia siphilitica var. siphilitica.

Lobelia siphilitica var. siphilitica

20 September 2014 Bull Run Mountains Natural Area Preserve, Haymarket, VA	20 September 2014 Bull Run Mountains Natural Area Preserve, Haymarket, VA	12 September 2014 Bull Run Mountains Natural Area Preserve, Haymarket, VA	20 September 2014 Bull Run Mountains Natural Area Preserve, Haymarket, VA
22 August 2021 Great Falls National Park, Great Falls, VA (showing reproductive parts at top of flower)	22 August 2021 Great Falls National Park, Great Falls, VA (showing reproductive parts at top of flower)	4 September 2022 Great Falls National Park, Great Falls, VA	10 September 2022 Bull Run Mountains Natural Area Preserve, Haymarket, VA
4 September 2022 Great Falls National Park, Great Falls, VA

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