Cardinal Flower

Scientific name

Lobelia cardinalis

Description

Cardinal Flower is an attractive herbaceous perennial wildflower that can grown up to 1 m tall. The leaves are mostly basal, dark green, lance shaped, alternately arranged, and have finely toothed margins. The flowers are showy, bright cardinal red colored, tubular with five lips, appear on an erect terminal spike, and bloom between July and September. The flowers are beneficial for pollinator species, like butterflies and hummingbirds. This is a popular plant choice for wet shoreline properties because of its visual appeal and ornamental value.

Planting conditions

Cardinal Flowers grow best in moist to wet conditions with full to partial sunlight exposure. It prefers poorly drained, constantly moist, sand or loam soil types. It is tolerant of periodically flooded areas. These flower may appreciate good mulching before winter to protect root system. This wildflower can be naturally found in wet prairies, wet meadows, and along river or lake shorelines.

Details

• Plant height:
  • Max 1.5m
  • Max 2m
  • Max 3m
  • Any
• Moisture level:
  • Moist
  • Wet
  • Flood Tolerant
• Light conditions:
  • Full sun
  • Partial sun
• Soil type:
  • Sandy
  • Loamy
  • Clay
  • Humus
• pH:
  • Normal
• Depth:
  • Wildflower
• Eco Zone:
  • 5a
  • 5b
  • 6a
  • 6b
  • 7a
• Plant type:
  • Wildflower
• Height:
  • 1 m
• Spread:
  • 0.5 m