Lobella Inflata: “Indian Tobacco” Don’t confuse this species with ornamental Lobella’s sold as bedding plants. Listed in official pharmacopoeias, this is an expectorant, diaphonic, and anti- asthmatic. Must be used with extreme caution, cottons the potent alkaloid “lobeline” which is used in many anti-smoking lozenges. An extremely important medicinal plant, grows in all locations. M-P-E-C No herbalist can do without Lobelia. (we have herb & extract) Seeds: 50 +/ $2.50 250 +/ $5
General poisoning notes for Lobelia inflata
Indian-tobacco (Lobelia inflata) is a herb native to Canada. In the past, aboriginal people smoked its dried leaves. This plant and related Lobelia species were used as medicinal plants. Overdoses led to cases of poisoning, which resulted in fatalities. No modern cases of poisoning are found in the literature. The dried leaves of Lobelia may be found in health food stores as a herbal medicine (Lampe and McCann 1985).
Lobelia inflata L.;
Lobelia family (Lobeliaceae)
An herbaceous annual growing to 3 feet high with hairy, ovate leaves. The flowers are 0.25 inch long, light blue or whitish, followed by an inflated seed capsule. Native from Labrador south to Georgia and Arkansas.
Cultivation and Propagation: Lobelia is best propagated from seed sown in January or early February in flats of fine soil. The seeds are very small, and difficult to sow thinly enough. They may be mixed with fine sand or with herbal (nonviable) seed. The seedlings should be transplanted to pots when large enough to handle, and set outdoors in early June. It will do well in ordinary garden soil if given a cool, shady location. In hot areas it will stop flowering in midsummer. Plants may be lifted in fall, kept over winter, and new plants started from cuttings of these taken in January or February.
Harvesting: The leaves and tops should be harvested in August and September. The seeds are the most potent part of the plant. These should be gathered when the capsules ripen.
Wildflower
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