This family is divided into three subfamilies, of which two include plants that grow in our area.
Venus’ Looking-Glass (Triodanis
perfoliata). A cheerful and distinctive
member of the Bellflower family that likes poor soil.
Nothing else in our area has the combination of a
columnar single stalk with clasping leaves and upward-facing
violet-blue flowers. More commonly known in botanical
literature under the genus Specularia, which
is also called Legousia or Legouzia.
Creeping Bellflower (Campanula
rapunculoides). A European garden flower
escaped from cultivation, often in yards of older
homes where it had originally been planted. It is
easily identified by its stalks of large dangling
blue-violet bells, all arranged on one side of the
stem.
American Bellflower (Campanula
americana). Also known as Campanulastrum
americanum by botanists who consider it a fake
Campanula. A very tall bellflower usually found in
damp areas. In addition to its height, the long
white pistils with curled ends are distinctive.
The blooming season begins in June or July, and the
plants continue flower off and on until fall. In
Father Pitt’s experience, it is neither rare nor
common.
Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis).
By far our most striking Lobelia. The brilliant red of
this spectacular native flower has made it a favorite
in the perennial garden. In the wild, it’s most at
home in damp areas with at least partial shade; it
blooms in the middle of the summer, usually in July.
It is worth tromping through any amount of muck to get
pictures of this beautiful plant.
Great Lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica).
Sometimes called “Blue Cardinal Flower” because of its
strong resemblance to its close relative the Cardinal
Flower, L. cardinalis, with which this species
apparently hybridizes. The flowers are variable in
color: some are solid pale blue, some darker blue, and
some strongly bicolored. A white form is found
occasionally. Like the Cardinal Flower, this Lobelia
likes damp situations
Lobelia spicata
Indian
Tobacco (Lobelia inflata). This is by
far our most common Lobelia, a close relative both of
the little blue Lobelias that dangle from our hanging
baskets and the stately Cardinal Flowers that adorn
our perennial gardens. It likes an open woodland or
the shady margin of a meadow, but it will also spring
up in the middle of a sunny lawn given half a chance.
The flowers are pale blue, often almost white. The
species name inflata refers to the
puffed-up seedpods that develop after the flowers.