Lobelia Pendula Regatta Rose

Lobelia Pendula Regatta Rose Seeds

(Trailing Lobelia — Carmine Rose with White Eye, Regatta Series)

The Regatta series has a trailing habit perfect for mixed combinations and hanging baskets. Plants flower up to 4 weeks earlier than other trailing varieties, perfect for selling in bloom during spring. Vigorous plants flower profusely, cascading over the edge of hanging baskets and larger containers.

Regatta Rose delivers the warm, feminine dimension of the Regatta color palette — carmine rose with a white eye — in contrast to the cool blues and purples of Saphir Special and other blue lobelia varieties. The carmine rose tone is a strong, saturated warm pink, red with a richness that stands out boldly in mixed basket and container combinations. The bright white eye provides the same clean, jewel-like contrast characteristic of lobelia bicolor varieties.

Regatta Rose is a superior, quick-blooming trailing variety — up to 3–4 weeks earlier than other trailing lobelias. Regatta Rose lobelias do not produce grassy centers and continue to look good and flower heavily throughout the season. The absence of “grassy centers” — the untidy green growth that develops in the center of some lobelia varieties as flowering progresses — is a significant practical advantage, keeping the display looking full and floriferous from planting through peak season without the need for remedial cutting back.

In Gulf conditions, Regatta Rose performs as an excellent cool-season trailing annual. Sown in August–September and transplanted in October–November, it delivers peak flowering from November through March, with its early-flowering advantage making it one of the first container annuals to come into full display in the Gulf cool season.

Regatta Rose vs Saphir Special — Key Differences

• Both are trailing Lobelia erinus pendula varieties for containers and hanging baskets. Saphir Special is a classic single-pelleted variety with intense electric blue flowers — reliable, straightforward, and widely grown. Regatta Rose is from the more advanced Regatta series — with warm carmine rose color, up to 4 weeks earlier flowering, no grassy center development, and superior season-long performance.
• Choose Saphir Special for classic blue; choose Regatta Rose for warm pink-rose with enhanced early-season and long-season performance.

Variety Details

• Variety: Regatta Rose
• Series: Regatta
• Species: Lobelia erinus pendula
• Family: Campanulaceae
• Flower color: Carmine rose with bright white eye
• Flower form: Small 5-lobed tubular flowers, 1–1.5 cm across
• Trailing length: 20–30 cm
• Height: 12–15 cm
• Spread: 30–45 cm
• Habit: Trailing, cascading, freely branching, no grassy centers
• Germination: 15–21 days at 20–22°C with light
• Early flowering advantage: Up to 4 weeks earlier than standard trailing varieties

Key Features

• Regatta series — advanced trailing lobelia with superior early-flowering performance.
• Vivid carmine rose with white eye — warm, bold, feminine color for containers.
• Flowrs up to 4 weeks earlier than standard trailing lobelia — first to display in the season.
• No grassy centers — maintains a floriferous, full appearance throughout the season.
• Vigorous, profuse flowering habit — generous cascading display.
• Excellent for hanging baskets, window boxes, and mixed containers.
• Attracts butterflies and small pollinators.

Plant Information

• Plant type: Tender annual (perennial in zones 10–11)
• Family: Campanulaceae
• Habit: Trailing, cascading, freely branching
• Sun: Full sun to partial shade — partial shade extends flowering in hot climates
• Soil: Moist, fertile, well-drained soil or container mix
• Water: Keep consistently moist — do not allow to dry out
• Spacing: 15–20 cm apart; multi-pelleted seeds naturally clump for fuller effect

Seed Germination

• Seed depth: Sow on surface; press lightly; do NOT cover — light aids germination
• Germination time: 15–21 days at 20–22°C
• Critical moisture note: Maintain high moisture (saturated to medium-wet). Use plastic domes or regular misting to maintain humidity throughout germination.
• Place seeds on the surface of fine, moist, sterile seed-starting mix. Press very lightly without covering. Water in gently and maintain consistently high moisture from day one.
• Maintain moisture level consistently until pellets are fully broken down and germination occurs.
• Germination takes 15–21 days.

Growing Tips

• Start Regatta Rose seeds indoors 8–10 weeks before desired transplanting date.
• Maintain moisture consistently and keep at 20–22°C throughout germination. Once seedlings are 2–3 cm tall, they can be handled in their natural clumps and transplanted directly into final containers without separating individual plants.
• Plant in well-drained, moisture-retentive container mix.
• Water daily in warm conditions.
• Feed every two weeks with a balanced liquid fertilizer; switch to low-nitrogen, high-potassium formula once flowering is well established.
• Partial shade protection in the Gulf afternoon hours extends the flowering season significantly.
• Unlike Saphir Special and standard trailing lobelia, Regatta Rose does not develop grassy centers during the season — the display remains consistently floriferous and full without needing midseason cutback.

Gulf Planting Season

• Best sowing time in the Gulf: August–September (indoors)
• Transplanting: October–November
• Expected flowering: November–March (peak cool-season performance; 3–4 weeks earlier than standard trailing lobelia varieties)
• Note: Early-flowering advantage makes Regatta Rose the first trailing lobelia to come into full display in the Gulf cool season. Partial shade placement extends the productive window into warmer spring months.

Garden and Container Uses

• Hanging baskets — vivid warm rose cascades
• Window boxes and railing planters
• Mixed container combinations — warm rose “spiller” alongside blues, whites, and purples
• Patio and balcony containers
• Border edging in cool-season beds
• Pollinator-friendly — attracts butterflies