Lobelia Erinus Crystal Palace

Lobelia Erinus Crystal Palace Seeds

(Compact Edging Lobelia — Deep Blue-Violet on Bronze Foliage, RHS AGM)

Crystal Palace is fundamentally different from the trailing lobelia varieties in this collection. Where Saphir Special, Regatta Rose, Regatta Blue Splash, and Regatta Sky Blue all produce cascading stems that trail downward from baskets and container edges, Crystal Palace grows in a neat, upright, mounded habit — forming a compact globe of foliage densely covered with flowers. This makes it a border edger and container filler rather than a “spiller.”

Crystal Palace is a compact border plant covered with deep blue flowers, set against bronze foliage. Petite flowers provide great color all season. Ideal in rock gardens, containers, window boxes, and borders.
The distinguishing characteristic of Crystal Palace beyond its upright habit is its exceptional foliage. Dark blue flowers and bronze foliage — controlled habit and dense flowering make this variety ideal for packs and efficient production. The bronze-green tinge to the leaves is unusual in annual bedding plants and creates a dramatic tonal depth beneath the deep blue flowers — the combination of warm bronze and cool intense blue is a classic and historically celebrated color pairing that elevates Crystal Palace above standard, blue-flowered annuals.

Crystal Palace features half-inch dark blue flowers heavily massed above low-growing foliage — the flowers are so prolific that the foliage is often not seen. The flowers have been described as an iridescent blue purple that can shift in tone depending on light conditions — more blue in shade, more violet purple in sun — giving Crystal Palace a subtle color-changing quality that adds further interest in different viewing conditions.

Crystal Palace is a classic bedding lobelia valued for compact plants and deep blue flowers. Bronze-tinged foliage sets off the blue blooms for strong contrast in cool weather. It excels in pots, window boxes, and edging where soil stays evenly moist. It is recognized with the RHS Award of Garden Merit.
In Gulf conditions, Crystal Palace performs as an excellent compact cool-season bedding and container plant — sown in August–September for transplanting in October–November and flowering from November through March.

Crystal Palace vs Trailing Lobelia Varieties

Crystal Palace is the upright edging lobelia in this collection — forming neat compact mounds of 10–15 cm height used for border edging, container filling, and rock garden planting. The trailing varieties (Saphir Special, Regatta Rose, Blue Splash, Sky Blue) cascade downward from basket and container edges as “spillers.” In container design, Crystal Palace serves as a “filler” or “thriller” in the center or mid-ground, while trailing varieties spill over the edges. Together in the same container they create a complete planting — Crystal Palace as the structured core, trailing varieties as the cascading frame.

Variety Details

• Variety: Crystal Palace
• Species: Lobelia erinus
• Family: Campanulaceae
• Awards: RHS Award of Garden Merit
• Flower color: Intensely deep blue-violet — “lobelia blue”
• Foliage: Bronze-green — distinctive warm tones contrasting with blue flowers
• Flower form: Small two-lipped tubular flowers, densely massed
• Height: 10–15 cm
• Spread: 20–30 cm
• Habit: Upright, compact, mounded — edging/bedding type (not trailing)
• Germination: 14–21 days at 18–24°C with light
• Days to flower: 10–12 weeks from sowing

Key Features

• RHS Award of Garden Merit — long-established classic variety of proven performance.
• Intensely deep blue-violet flowers — “lobelia blue” — one of the truest blues in bedding plants.
• Distinctive bronze-green foliage — unusual warm-toned leaves create dramatic contrast with blue flowers.
• Flowers so prolific they often cover the foliage completely.
• Upright compact mounded habit — ideal for border edging, container filling, and rock gardens.
• Color can shift from blue to violet-purple depending on light — subtle iridescent quality.
• Excellent as “filler” in container combinations alongside trailing lobelia as “spillers.”
• Attracts beneficial insects and pollinators.

Plant Information

• Plant type: Tender annual (perennial in zones 9–11)
• Sun: Full sun to partial shade — afternoon shade preferred in hot climates
• Soil: Fertile, moist, well-drained soil, slightly acidic pH 5.5–6.5
• Water: Keep consistently moist — sensitive to drought
• Spacing: 10–15 cm apart; plant in groups of 3–5 seedlings per position

Seed Germination

• Seed depth: Surface sow — press lightly into soil; do NOT cover; light required for germination
• Germination time: 14–21 days at 18–24°C
• Ideal germination temperature: 18–24°C
• Lobelia seeds are extremely fine — mix with fine sand before sowing for more even distribution. Surface sow on moist, fine, well-drained seed-starting mix. Press very lightly without covering.
• Water from below where possible to minimize damping off risk. Keep consistently moist at 18–24°C.
• Germination takes 14–21 days.
• Transplant in small clumps of 3–5 seedlings.

Growing Tips

• Start seeds 8–10 weeks before desired transplanting date.
• Surface sow with no covering at 18–24°C.
• Transplant in small clumps of 3–5 seedlings 10–15 cm apart in full sun to partial shade.
• In mild climates, plants may be started in late summer for winter bloom.
• Shear back plants in midsummer if hot weather stops flower production — this will encourage flowering as soon as cooler weather returns.
• Keep consistently moist at all times — Crystal Palace is sensitive to drying out.
• Feed every 2–3 weeks with a balanced liquid fertilizer.
• In the Gulf, a position with morning sun and afternoon shade protection significantly extends the cool-season flowering period.
• Unlike the Regatta series, Crystal Palace does not have an explicit early-flowering advantage — its flowers on a standard lobelia timeline of 10–12 weeks from sowing. However, its bronze foliage is ornamental from seedling stage, providing visual interest even before full flowering begins.

Gulf Planting Season

• Best sowing time in the Gulf: August–September (indoors)
• Transplanting: October–November
• Expected flowering: November–March (peak cool-season performance)
• Note: RHS Award of Garden Merit variety. Bronze foliage ornamental from transplanting.
• Afternoon shade placement extends display.
• Cut back by half if flowering declines in warming spring temperatures for possible autumn return.

Garden and Container Uses

• Border edging — classic compact mounding edging plant
• Container filling — “filler” role in mixed container schemes
• Window boxes and trough planters
• Rock gardens and raised beds
• Combined with trailing lobelia (Regatta series) for complete basket/container designs
• Cool-season bedding displays
• Pollinator-friendly — attracts beneficial insects and butterflies