Lobelia inflata aka Indian Tobacco

Lobelia inflata belongs to the bellflower family, Campanulaceae. It is a short-lived plant. Gardeners may know it as Indian tobacco or asthma weed. It is native to eastern Canada. Its range also spans the north-central and eastern United States. It grows in temperate regions, but is not native to Britain or Ireland. Wild plants grow in meadows, fields, and open woods. They also grow along roads and on disturbed ground.

Most plants complete their life in one year. Some live into a second year as biennials. The plant reaches about 2 feet (0.6 metres) tall. Its spread is about 1 foot (0.3 metres). Its small size leaves room for it in cultivated beds. Flowers appear from July to August. Seeds then ripen in August and September. Each flower has both male and female organs. The plant is self-fertile: it can set seed without another plant.

Grow it in full sun or light shade. It accepts sandy soil, loam, and clay, including heavy clay. Soil that is a little acid suits it best. It also accepts neutral soil and soil that is a little alkaline. In cultivation, it prefers moist soil. Yet records of wild plants often place them on dry ground. Sow seed straight into the growing site in spring or autumn. Seeds tend to sprout in about two weeks.

People have grown this species as a medicinal crop. PFAF records its use in Indigenous North American medicine. It also records later use for breathing problems and muscle spasms. These accounts name the dried flowering plant and its seeds. Such uses do not prove that home treatment is safe. Records also describe burning the plant to drive away gnats. PFAF does not flag it as a weed risk. A cultivated bed is its recorded garden setting.

No one knows of edible uses, and safety concerns limit its use. The plant contains an alkaloid called lobeline. It acts on the nervous system much like nicotine. PFAF notes reports of poisoning. But one source it cites questions whether proof of toxicity exists. PFAF warns against use during pregnancy or breastfeeding. It also warns people with high blood pressure or heart disease. That warning includes those with a tendency to seizures. These cautions matter more than its past use as a remedy. Do not take its medicinal record as proof it is safe to eat.