Lobelia tupa - Devil's Tobacco seeds

Lobelia tupa, commonly known as "devil's tobacco", is a spectacular and unique perennial lobelia that comes from the Chilean coasts. It will form a lush clump adorned with almond-green foliage in clusters reminiscent of tobacco, and tall flowering stems in summer, adorned with small, strangely tubular, beautiful dark red-purple flowers. This perennial plant deserves a place in an enthusiast's garden or a large exotic bed. To thrive, it will need full sun and well-drained and light, even sandy soil. It is hardy to zone 8. Gardeners in cooler regions can grow it in pots and store them indoors during winter.

Lobelia tupa is a plant from the Campanulaceae or Lobeliaceae family. This South American botanical species naturally grows on sandy terrains, near the sea. It is a fast-growing woody-based perennial. In two years, it forms a clump of leafy stems that reaches a minimum height and width of 90 cm (35in). The angular, purple, and hairy stems are adorned with large ovate and pointed leaves that can reach 20 cm (8in) long and 8 cm (3in) wide. These thick, slightly hairy leaves are arranged in clusters all around the stems. They are beautiful pale green with a hint of grey, and are deciduous when temperatures reach -2/-3°C (28.4/26.6°F). The long-lasting flowering period occurs from July to September-October, depending on the climate, on plants that are at least 2 years old. Flowering stems that easily reach 1.50 m (5ft) high, sometimes 2 to 3 m (7 to 10ft) depending on the climate and growing conditions, emerge from the foliage clump. Each spike-shaped inflorescence bears numerous tubular flowers with prominent lips, 4 to 6 cm (2in) long, composed of curled lobes directed downwards. They are surrounded by a dark purple calyx at the base and range from scarlet to very dark red. The flowers are followed by numerous small black seeds. The Mapuche Indians of Chile used to smoke the leaves of this plant, which they called "tabaco del diablo". It contains substances with hallucinogenic properties similar to those of marijuana.

Lobelia tupa is a spectacular, eye-catching plant. It will fit well in coastal gardens and inland regions with fairly mild winters. For example, it can be planted in a large bed or an exotic-inspired rockery, alongside equally strange and magnificent plants such as Puya, proteas, Melianthus major, Salvia guaranitica or leucantha, or tall viper's bugloss. This perennial plant likes cool roots in summer but will be hardier if the soil remains dry in winter. It can create surprising flowering pots for the terrace that can be stored indoors during winter.

Attention, these seeds for very experienced gardeners who are used to sowing very fine seeds. They are as fine as dust, barely visible to the naked eye.