Kalm’s Lobelia

Ecology & Conservation

Proximity Score

0

Native Status

✅ Outaouais ✅ Ottawa ✅ QC ✅ ON

Closest Direction

Local

CEC Eco-Regions

5 – Northern Forests, 5.2 – Mixed Wood Shield, 5.2.3 – Algonquin/Southern Laurentians

Rarity Notes

Globally secure (G5) and nationally secure in Canada (N5). S5 in both Ontario and Quebec. Not SARA listed. Despite secure rankings, the species is a conservative indicator of high-quality calcareous wetlands and may be locally uncommon where suitable habitat has been degraded or lost.

S22 G5, N5, S5/S5; S26 not SARA listed; S10 conservative species

Rarity Ranks

QC S5 – Secure, ON S5 – Secure

Migration

Stable

Ecological Context

An obligate wetland calciphile of calcareous fens, marly shores, and wet limestone pavements. In the Ottawa-Gatineau region, historical specimens come from Lac Deschenes and Hull (Rochonville), typically on limestone substrates along the Ottawa River. A conservative indicator of high-quality, intact calcareous wetlands.

S7 calciphile; S10 calcareous fens; S48 Lac Deschenes/Hull specimens; S63 common Ottawa-Hull

Permaculture & Companion Planting

Roles

Fortress/Barrier

S73/S29/S72 Evidence: Fortress/Barrier: S61 keyword match: thorns? (supporting signal only)]

Medicinal Properties

ℹ

Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any plant for medicinal purposes. The information provided is compiled from secondary sources for educational purposes only.

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Category

Emetic, Dermatological Aid, Ear Medicine

S28 Cree and Iroquois uses

Notes

Used by the Cree (Hudson Bay) as an emetic. The Iroquois used an infusion of smashed plants as drops for abscesses (dermatological) and earaches, and as an emetic to counteract the effects of love medicine.

S28 Moerman NAEB

Edibility & Foraging

ℹ

Never ingest a plant unless you have 100% certainty of its identity and have consulted multiple reputable sources. The information provided in the Localeaf Plant Database is compiled from secondary sources for educational and historical purposes only.

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❌ Not Edible   

Foraging Notes

Not edible. All parts contain lobeline-group alkaloids and are toxic if ingested in large quantities. No food uses recorded in Moerman's Native American Ethnobotany.

S28 no food uses; S4 poisonous parts warning

Toxicity

⚠️ Moderate Toxicity

All parts contain lobeline-group alkaloids (lobelamine, lobeline, and others) plus a volatile oil. Toxic only if eaten in large quantities; symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, salivation, exhaustion, dilation of pupils, convulsions, and coma. The acrid milky sap deters mammalian herbivores.

S4 poisonous parts warning; S10 acrid sap toxic to herbivores; S61 milky white sap

Seed Source

• Botanically Inclined