Description
Cardinal Flower or Red Lobelia
Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis) is a stunning native perennial prized for its brilliant scarlet flower spikes that bloom from mid-summer through early fall. Naturally found along streambanks, wetlands, and moist woodland edges throughout eastern North America, this striking wildflower thrives in rich, consistently moist soils in full sun to partial shade. The vivid red tubular flowers open from the bottom of each spike upward, providing weeks of color when many other wildflowers have finished blooming.
An exceptional pollinator plant, Cardinal Flower is one of the best wildflowers for attracting hummingbirds, while also providing valuable nectar for butterflies, including swallowtails. Its bold blooms create a dramatic display in rain gardens, pollinator gardens, native landscapes, and along ponds or streams. Although individual plants are relatively short-lived, they readily self-seed in favorable conditions, allowing colonies to naturally renew themselves over time.
Quick Specs
- Origin: Native
- Type: Perennial
- Color: Scarlet
- Height: 24-48 inches
- Width/spread: 12-24 inches
- Sunlight: Full sun, partial shade
- Water: Moist/Wet
- Bloom Season: Mid-summer-fall
- Planting Time: Spring or fall
- Zones: 3-9
- Regions: Found in open, moist areas, such as stream banks, marshes, and low woodlands.
- Use: Garden, rain garden, wetlands, pollinator garden
- Attracts: Butterflies, hummingbirds
- Packet weight: 1.5 grams
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