Great Blue Lobelia

Ecology & Conservation

Proximity Score

1

Native Status

❌ Outaouais ❌ Ottawa ❌ QC ✅ ON

Closest Direction

S

CEC Eco-Regions

8 – Eastern Temperate Forests, 8.1 – Mixed Wood Plains, 8.1.1 – Eastern Great Lakes and Hudson Lowlands

Rarity Notes

Globally secure (G5) and secure in Ontario (S5). Not listed under SARA or COSEWIC. Introduced in Quebec, so provincial rank is not applicable. Widespread across eastern North America from Maine to South Dakota and south to Texas.

S22 S26 S1

Rarity Ranks

QC SNA – Not Applicable, ON S5 – Secure

Migration

Stable

Ecological Context

Great blue lobelia occupies moist to wet, partially shaded habitats including floodplain woodlands, wet meadows, stream banks, fens, and marsh margins. In Ontario it is widespread (S5) and native, found in swamps, floodplains, wet thickets, and shorelines. It is introduced in Quebec. Typical associates include Muhlenbergia mexicana and other wetland forbs.

S7 S10 S1 S4

Permaculture & Companion Planting

Roles

Fortress/Barrier, Insectary Plant, Pollinator Attractor

S73/S29/S72 Evidence: Fortress/Barrier: S61 keyword match: thorns? (supporting signal only)] | Insectary Plant: S64 NPPBI 'beneficial insects' flag] | Pollinator Attractor: S73 [HIGH]: S64 Xerces listed (source-classified)]

Notes

Great blue lobelia is noted for juglone tolerance, making it a valuable companion near black walnut trees. Suited to rain gardens, shoreline rehabilitation, and wet woodland edges where it complements other moisture-loving perennials. Its late-season bloom fills a gap when few other blue-flowered species are in flower.

S3 S29 S46

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

Analgesic, Anthelmintic, Antirheumatic, Cathartic, Cold Remedy, Cough Medicine, Dermatological Aid, Diaphoretic, Emetic, Febrifuge, Gastrointestinal Aid, Hemostat, Pulmonary Aid, Venereal Aid

S28 Moerman categories from Cherokee, Iroquois, and Meskwaki uses

Notes

Extensively used by Cherokee, Iroquois, and Meskwaki peoples. Cherokee used root infusions for worms, rheumatism, stomach complaints, and syphilis, and leaf infusions for colds and fevers. Iroquois used the plant as a gargle for coughs. Meskwaki ground the roots into food as a love medicine. The root is cathartic, diaphoretic, and emetic. Once believed to treat syphilis (hence species name), though European trials found it ineffective when used alone.

S28 S29

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 considered edible. PFAF rates edibility at 0/5 with no known edible uses. The plant contains toxic alkaloids (lobeline, lobelanine) that produce nicotine-like poisoning symptoms, making ingestion dangerous.

S29 S4

Toxicity

⚠️ Moderate Toxicity

Contains alkaloids lobeline and lobelanine which produce nicotine-like poisoning symptoms including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, salivation, exhaustion, pupil dilation, convulsions, and potentially coma. Toxic only if eaten in large quantities. Most mammalian herbivores avoid the foliage due to these alkaloids, though deer occasionally browse it. Not listed in Cornell poisonous plants database.

S4 S29 S10

Seed Source

• Localeaf