Great Lobelia

Linnaeus named the group of Lobelias after Matthias de L'Obel an herbalist or botanist who became an attending doctor to King James the First of England. It is on the endangered species list in Massachusetts, and I read that it has pretty much disappeared from Maine.... so sad. I found these beauties with no knowledge of their status. It is both exciting and sad to know that you have just seen a flower that is rare. Let me introduce you to this flower ... it is the twin sister of the Cardinal flower. The Cardinal Flower, and the Great Lobelia, and also Indian Tobacco are all Lobelias. This beautiful blue flower is named Lobelia Siphilitica, which lets you know that it was once used in treating syphilis. American Indians used it in many medicinal ways from cough medicine to nosebleeds.

Where I found it : on the side of the road