2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Lobelia blood-red (lat. Lobelia cardinalis) - an aquatic plant from the Bellflower family, often called cardinal lobelia.
Description
Lobelia blood-red boasts a superbly developed root system, which includes only one lobe, formed by rather thick and slightly shortish white roots.
Long elastic stems of this aquatic inhabitant have a round shape and are not at all inclined to form numerous lateral branches. Sometimes you can see small scars on them that remain after the fallen leaves. And in the areas of the stems free of leaves, white ciliated adventitious water roots grow.
The tops of the round, simple leaves of blood-red lobelia are slightly bent down, and the leaves themselves are painted in pleasant green tones. However, the lower parts of the leaves of this beauty are often purple-reddish - a similar color is easy to achieve through good lighting and favorable conditions of detention. It was this color that became the determining factor in the name of this plant.
All leaves on the stalks are arranged in a spiral, and as for the length of the leaf petioles, it is approximately equal to the length of the plates.
Lobelia blood-red boasts regular flowering, during which it forms quite solid peduncles, the length of which can reach half a meter. And its inflorescences fold into luxurious elongated brushes, densely strewn with many amazing flowers of purple shades. As a rule, blood red lobelia pleases with its delightful flowering from July to October.
Where grows
In nature, this aquatic inhabitant grows mainly in North American waters. Quite often it can be found along the banks of slowly flowing rivers, forest lakes and swamps.
Usage
Lobelia blood red is ideal for placement in aquariums - there it has a fairly good growth rate. And its high decorative properties make it possible to make the design of absolutely any aquarium much more interesting. Sometimes this unusual plant is planted in well-lit spacious greenhouses, as well as in paludariums.
In addition, the flowers of this plant are considered medicinal - the indigenous people of America once used infusions and decoctions from this moisture-loving beauty to heal all kinds of ailments. However, you should not experiment with their preparation on your own - the wrong dosage can easily lead to death.
Growing and caring
Lobelia blood red grows equally well both indoors and outdoors. Plants grown in greenhouses or paludariums are especially good. This beauty is able to withstand quite substantial temperature drops: from fifteen to twenty-eight degrees. And the soil for its cultivation should be taken fine-grained and as nutritious as possible.
As for the light intensity, it should be high enough - this gives the plant the opportunity to form wonderful side shoots, as a result of which it forms bushes of unearthly beauty. As a rule, fluorescent lamps are installed above the blood-red lobelia on top, and then, if necessary, they can be supplemented with ordinary lamps, the power of which is in the range from 25 to 40 watts. Daylight hours in this case should be in the range from ten to twelve hours.
From time to time, the stems of the plant should be shortened so that it does not gain height at lightning speed. Systematic shortening of this kind leads to the formation of a large number of branches, which significantly increase the decorative properties of blood-red lobelia. If you want its decorative effect to become even higher, it is recommended to regularly add liquid mineral fertilizers to the water.
Reproduction of this plant occurs mainly vegetatively, by dividing the stems or lateral shoots. However, it is easy to get a new plant even from an old leaf. And sometimes this beauty is propagated by seeds. At the same time, the seedlings of blood-red lobelia are ideally transferred to aquariums only after they at least slightly get stronger in paludarium or greenhouse conditions.
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