Species › Plants › Indian Tobacco

Indian Tobacco

Lobelia inflata

CommonPlant
Illustration of Indian Tobacco (Lobelia inflata)
Safety note: Toxic if ingested; formerly used medicinally but now considered dangerous.

Indian Tobacco is a native annual of open forests, fields, and roadsides in eastern North America, with small pale blue flowers and distinctive inflated seed capsules. The plant contains lobeline, a toxic alkaloid used historically in smoking cessation products. Small bees are the primary pollinators, and many insects feed on the foliage.

Habitat
Open forests, old fields, and disturbed areas across eastern North America
Diet
Small flowers visited by native bees
How common
Common

Best time to see a Indian Tobacco

The best time to see a Indian Tobacco is July–August, when about 71% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 19,785 research-grade iNaturalist observations.

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