It is predominantly native to western Europe but can also be found in northern Morocco and in the island of Madeira off Northwest Africa.

Lobelia urens is more or less hairless perennial and can grow up to 60 cm tall.

The plant requires bare ground patches in which the seeds can germinate.

[4] From north to south, this plant is found throughout southern England (rare, and in lowland areas up to 210 metres high), Belgium, the western portion of France (in lowland coastal areas), the humid western portion of the Iberian Peninsula in Portugal (along the coastal plain, passing into the wet northern province valleys up to 800 metres) and western Spain (in grazed pasture of upland valleys between 600 and 915 metres high), the Rif Mountains of Morocco and the island of Madeira.

They are often found with Juncus articulatus, Juncus conglomeratus, Lotus pedunculatus, Mentha aquatica (water mint), Molinia caerulea (purple moor grass), Potentilla erecta, Pulicaria dysenterica, and Salix cinerea.