How to Grow Dwarf Lobelia Palace Blue White Eye
Dwarf Lobelia Palace Blue White Eye
Lobelia erinus 'Palace Blue White Eye'
flowerPalace Blue White Eye is a compact, trailing variety of dwarf lobelia that produces abundant small, vibrant blue flowers with distinctive white centers. This tender annual is prized for its dense growth habit and continuous blooming throughout the season, making it ideal for containers, hanging baskets, and garden edgings.
When should you plant Dwarf Lobelia Palace Blue White Eye in your zone?
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Example Dwarf Lobelia Palace Blue White Eye timeline · Pittsburgh, PA (Zone 6b)
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Plant Dwarf Lobelia Palace Blue White Eye
Around Apr 17Near Pittsburgh's average last spring frost.
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Tend & protect
Late spring–summerWatering, feeding, and pest-watch reminders.
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First Dwarf Lobelia Palace Blue White Eye blooms
Around Jun 6≈ 50 days after planting
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Growing Conditions
Soil
Growing Zones
Find your zone →Thrives in zones 3-11 as a tender annual; grow as a perennial in zones 9-11
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Seed Germination
7-14 daysTiny seeds begin sprouting under moist conditions. Seedlings are extremely small and delicate.
Maintain consistent moisture and bright light (use grow lights). Keep soil at 65-70°F. Sow indoors 8-10 weeks before last frost. Do not cover seeds with soil.
Seedling
3-4 weeksSmall plants with 2-4 true leaves develop. Growth is slow initially but steady.
Provide bright, indirect light to prevent legginess. Keep soil moist. Thin seedlings to prevent damping off. Begin light fertilizing with half-strength solution at 3-4 weeks.
Vegetative Growth
2-4 weeksPlant develops a dense, mounded or trailing form with increasing foliage. Stems elongate and branch out.
Gradually acclimate to outdoor conditions (harden off) over 7-10 days before transplanting. Pinch growing tips early to encourage bushier growth. Maintain consistent moisture and regular feeding.
Flowering
6-12 weeks (or until frost)Abundant small (½-¾ inch) blue flowers with white centers appear along stems and continue proliferating throughout the season.
Keep deadheading spent flowers to encourage continuous blooming. Water and fertilize regularly. Reduce watering slightly if plant becomes too leggy. Provide afternoon shade in very hot climates.
Decline
Varies with climatePlant becomes sparse, flowering reduces, and growth slows as temperatures cool in fall or during extended heat stress.
In zones 9-11, cut back by half in late summer for a second bloom flush. In cooler zones, enjoy until first frost and remove plant.
Companion Planting
Plan your garden →Plant with:
Avoid planting near:
Common Pests
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Spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil. Encourage beneficial insects like ladybugs. Use strong water spray to dislodge.
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Use yellow sticky traps, insecticidal soap, or neem oil. Increase air circulation around plants.
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Increase humidity, use water spray, or apply miticide. Avoid sulfur-based fungicides which can harm lobelia.
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Handpick in early morning or evening. Use beer traps, copper barriers, or diatomaceous earth.
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Improve air circulation, reduce leaf wetness, water at soil level only. Remove affected foliage. Use fungicide if severe.
Uses
Not for consumption
CulinaryDwarf lobelia is ornamental only and should not be eaten. Some Lobelia species contain toxic alkaloids. [source]
Cut flower arrangements
CraftThe delicate blue flowers with white centers are charming in small bouquets and floral arrangements, lasting up to a week in water. [source]
Container and hanging basket displays
HouseholdPalace Blue White Eye is exceptionally popular for containers, window boxes, hanging baskets, and as a trailing edging plant due to its compact growth and prolific blooming. [source]
Pollinator attraction
WildlifeThe abundant small flowers attract butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds throughout the growing season, making it valuable for pollinator gardens. [source]
Garden edging and borders
HouseholdThe dwarf, dense form makes it ideal for creating neat borders along pathways and flower beds, providing continuous color. [source]
Harvest Tips
This is an ornamental flower, not harvested for food. Cut flowers last several days in a vase. For continuous blooms, deadhead regularly by pinching off spent flower clusters. Cut back leggy plants by one-third in midsummer to rejuvenate growth.
Fun Facts
- 🌱 The white eye (white center) in Palace Blue White Eye flowers is characteristic of this cultivar and makes it instantly recognizable, contrasting beautifully with the deep blue petals.
- 🌱 Despite their delicate appearance, dwarf lobelias are tough little plants that bloom prolifically from summer until frost, often looking fresher and fuller than many annual flowers.
- 🌱 Lobelia seeds are extremely small—approximately 10,000 seeds per gram—making them among the tiniest flower seeds gardeners can sow, which is why they're best started indoors.
Gardening Terms
New to gardening? Learn about terms used in this guide:
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