A Friend's Plant

Could it be a Lobelia?

 

Sorry to disagree.
I believe it is Lobelia tupa...a gorgeous very tall plant from Chile.
The flowers are very different in shape from Lobelia cardinalis...even in the pic above you can see the very long drooping lower petal.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=l...ved=0CAcQ_AUoAWoVChMI87_RuZW3xwIVSVsaCh3pXwFY

http://www.chileflora.com/Florachilena/ImagesHigh/IMG_4476.jpg

Compare L.tupa in above link to L.cardinalis in link below....

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=lobelia+cardinalis&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAWoVChMIqqXB6ZW3xwIVg70aCh0PDgRb&biw=1536&bih=728#imgrc=leYNgsEpJiN-bM:

 

Also L. Cardinalis usually has deep red leaves not green.

 

I like the look of this plant a lot! Had a look on the net re hardiness (can obviously be an issue up here in Scotland) and it's only hardy to about -10 and native of Chile, so not very similar to where I live in Scotland.I was wondering if I grew it in a pot and then planted it out during the season before digging it up and over wintering it in an unheated greenhouse if this would work or am I wasting my time? @shiney does you friend grow theirs outside all year and where it's growing looks pretty sheltered? I grow the Acanthus which is growing next door to The Lobelia with no trouble at all. If there is a hope of success, is it easy to grow from seed?

 

Thanks both @shiney and @JWK. Photos Shiney remind me of the odd real humdinger of a winter we get!. Kind offer from both of you re seed. Yes please re any seed which might be going a begging. I might be able to reciprocate with some seed you might like. I have vast quantities of seed given to me by a friend who knows somebody who works for Unwins and have plenty of spares/seed I won't sow so happy to do a swap. Most of the packets are still within date for next season I think. The packets are mainly veg but some herbs and flowers as well. I can PM you what I have altho it will take a while to type all there is! Give me a clue of what might be of interest Yes JWK such a shame Simbad has moved on. We did 2 huge swaps of plants and it was lovely to get loads of new plants from her and she likewise was delighted with what I sent her. We had the same idea of what constitutes a decent clump of something! Ended up that we both got about 20 different types of plants each and it only cost us roughly £15 each to send a huge box via courier. Pity she no longer contributes on here.

 

My top tip for winter survival is to not cut them back until the spring. The stems are hollow so winter wet can rot them from the inside out in cold areas such as mine and yours. Here's my four year old plant..............


As a precaution I mulch around the base with fallen conifer leaves and needles which insulate but are free breathing in wet weather.