Lobelia

A small, delicate wildflower in the bellflower family, growing anywhere from 5-39 inches in height. Native throughout what is now the Eastern United States, Southeastern Canada, and Westward into the Great Plains region. These tiny herbaceous plants grow as annuals or biennials, with long, toothed oval leaves, hairy stems and stalks ending in clusters of flowers ranging from violet to light blue, or white with faint blue spots. Native habitat ranges from fields to open woodlands - this plant prefers part to full sun and rich, moist soil. Blooms from midsummer, June-July, through autumn, Sep-Oct. After flowering, stalks develop tiny, balloon-like seed pods - inspiration for their species name "inflata," meaning inflated, "to swell or puff up" in Latin. Although small, Lobelia is powerful. Used for centuries by many Indigenous nations as medicine, it is a low-dose herb with strong purgative properties, outlined in one of its common names, "pukeweed." Historically used as an emetic, antis