Plant in full sun and give little irrigation - ample irrigation in rich soil with make this plant grow rapidly to larger than noted above. Can be pruned hard - foliage will resprout from hard wood and is cold hardy to around 15 °F. Flowers are attractive to hummingbirds It is reported that all parts of plant are poisonous if ingested and handling the plant may cause a skin irritation, though we have not experienced this ourselves.

Lobelia excelsa is native to north and north central Chile. The genus is named for Mathias de L'Obel (latinized to Matthaeus Lobelius) (1538 –1616), a Belgian botanist and physician to the royal families of the Netherlands (William the Silent, Prince of Orange) and England (King James I). The specific epithet is the Latin word meaning "high", "tall" of "lofty" in reference to the stature of this plant which in its native habitat can reach small tree proportions.

We grew this plant from 2009 to 2013. We received it initially as Lobelia tupa from Mike Tully at Terra Sol Garden Center in Santa Barbara and he told us it came to him dfrom Suncrest Nurseries in Watsonville. Noting it different from typical Lobelia tupa being sold in the nursery trade, which is a similar species that comes from an area of Chile further to the south and is more of a large herbaceous perennial, we contacted Nevin Smith, then working at Suncrest, and inquired about what he thought this plant was. We concluded it more likely to be the larger woody shrub, Lobelia excelsa and so that is what we listed it as. 

The information displayed on this page about Lobelia excelsa is based on our research conducted about this plant from books in our nursery library as well as from information that is provided by reliable online resources. We also have included our own observations made about it as it grew in the nursery gardens and other gardens visited, as well how the crops of this plant performed in the containers when we had them in our nursery field. We also include comments received from others and welcome hearing from anyone who has information about this plant, particularly if it includes cultural information aiding others to better grow it.