# Indian tobacco (*Lobelia inflata*) Indian tobacco is a special plant with beautiful blue flowers. It grows in fields and has a unique shape that makes it stand out in nature. Some people use it for medicine, but it’s important to be careful with it! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 3/5 · Moderate - **Snaps:** 3 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![Indian tobacco](https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/261846920/medium.jpg) Photo: Douglas Goldman, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [iNaturalist](https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/261846920) ## Appearance The Indian tobacco has a slender, upright stem covered in fine hairs, reaching up to three feet tall. It features small, pale blue to violet-white flowers that grow in a leafy spike, and distinctive inflated, round seed capsules after blooming. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Asterales - **Family:** Campanulaceae - **Genus:** Lobelia ## Interesting facts - Its name "Indian tobacco" comes from Native Americans who used its leaves in ceremonies. - Its tiny flowers are so small, you'd need to look closely to see their delicate beauty! - Some people call it "pukeweed" because eating it can make you feel very sick! - The plant contains a chemical called lobeline, which is similar to nicotine in tobacco plants! ## Special abilities - **Puffed-Up Seedpods:** Indian tobacco has unique inflated seed capsules that help its tiny seeds travel further when wind blows them away. - **Chemical Defense Shield:** Indian tobacco can produce a special chemical called lobeline that makes it taste bad to most animals, keeping them safe. - **Sticky Hair Barrier:** Indian tobacco has fine, sticky hairs all over its stem and leaves, which can deter small insects from crawling on it. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 30-90 cm - **Spread:** 15-30 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.5-1 cm - **Bloom Season:** Summer to early Fall (July-October) - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** High - **Lifecycle:** Annual - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — These busy bees collect nectar and pollen from its tiny flowers. - **Pollinates:** [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) — Bumblebees are important visitors, helping spread its pollen. - **Pollinates:** [Sweat Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sweat-bee) (*Halictus ligatus*) — Smaller sweat bees also contribute to the plant's pollination. ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Biennial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/biennial): Biennial plants complete their life cycle over two growing seasons, typically forming foliage in the first year and flowering/seeding in the second. - [Tube Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/tube-flower): A tube flower has petals fused together at the base, forming a distinct tubular structure that typically holds nectar deep within. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Toxic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/toxic): Toxic organisms contain substances that are poisonous and can cause adverse effects upon exposure. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 3/5 · Moderate Do not touch or eat any plants without asking an adult first. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Indian tobacco? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Indian tobacco? 30-90 cm ### How wide does Indian tobacco spread? 15-30 cm ### How big are the flowers on Indian tobacco? 0.5-1 cm ### When does Indian tobacco bloom? Summer to early Fall (July-October) ### Is Indian tobacco edible? No ### Is Indian tobacco toxic? High ### What is Indian tobacco's lifecycle? Annual ## Where to spot - [Haym Salomon Memorial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/haym-salomon-memorial-park) — Pennsylvania, US · Park - [Dorchester Common Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/dorchester-common-historic-district) — New Hampshire, US · Historic District - [Owen–Putnam State Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/owen-putnam-state-forest) — Indiana, US · Forest [View all places to see Indian tobacco](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/indian-tobacco) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Indian tobacco: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/indian-tobacco)