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PlantFiles: Cardinal Flower
Lobelia cardinalis

 
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Family: Campanulaceae (kam-pan-yew-LAY-see-ee) (Info)
Genus: Lobelia (low-BEE-lee-uh) (Info)
Species: cardinalis (kar-dih-NAL-iss) (Info)

Synonym:Lobelia splendens
Synonym:Lobelia fulgens
Synonym:Lobelia speciosa

17 vendors have this plant for sale.

31 members have or want this plant for trade.

Category:
Perennials

Height:
24-36 in. (60-90 cm)

Spacing:
15-18 in. (38-45 cm)

Hardiness:
USDA Zone 2a: to -45.5 °C (-50 °F)
USDA Zone 2b: to -42.7 °C (-45 °F)
USDA Zone 3a: to -39.9 °C (-40 °F)
USDA Zone 3b: to -37.2 °C (-35 °F)
USDA Zone 4a: to -34.4 °C (-30 °F)
USDA Zone 4b: to -31.6 °C (-25 °F)
USDA Zone 5a: to -28.8 °C (-20 °F)
USDA Zone 5b: to -26.1 °C (-15 °F)
USDA Zone 6a: to -23.3 °C (-10 °F)
USDA Zone 6b: to -20.5 °C (-5 °F)
USDA Zone 7a: to -17.7 °C (0 °F)
USDA Zone 7b: to -14.9 °C (5 °F)
USDA Zone 8a: to -12.2 °C (10 °F)
USDA Zone 8b: to -9.4 °C (15 °F)
USDA Zone 9a: to -6.6 °C (20 °F)
USDA Zone 9b: to -3.8 °C (25 °F)

Sun Exposure:
Sun to Partial Shade

Danger:
Parts of plant are poisonous if ingested

Bloom Color:
Red

Bloom Time:
Mid Summer
Late Summer/Early Fall

Foliage:
Bronze-Green
Smooth-Textured
Shiny/Glossy-Textured

Other details:
Average Water Needs; Water regularly; do not overwater
Requires consistently moist soil; do not let dry out between waterings

Soil pH requirements:
6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic)
6.6 to 7.5 (neutral)
7.6 to 7.8 (mildly alkaline)

Patent Information:
Unknown - Tell us

Propagation Methods:
By dividing the rootball
From seed; winter sow in vented containers, coldframe or unheated greenhouse
From seed; sow indoors before last frost

Seed Collecting:
Allow seedheads to dry on plants; remove and collect seeds

By Violet
Thumbnail #1 of Lobelia cardinalis by Violet

By poppysue
Thumbnail #2 of Lobelia cardinalis by poppysue

By Violet
Thumbnail #3 of Lobelia cardinalis by Violet

By poppysue
Thumbnail #4 of Lobelia cardinalis by poppysue

By Wandasflowers
Thumbnail #5 of Lobelia cardinalis by Wandasflowers

By ford3728
Thumbnail #6 of Lobelia cardinalis by ford3728

By merriego
Thumbnail #7 of Lobelia cardinalis by merriego

There are a total of 26 photos.
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Profile:

16 positives
4 neutrals
No negatives

Gardeners' Notes:

RatingAuthorComment
Positive beverly710 On Sep 29, 2008, beverly710 from Newalla, OK
(Zone 7a) wrote:

All of mine came up as surprises...I have no clue where they came from. They self sow profusely. I have harvested the seeds and they have never let me down...and grow just about anywhere I have spread the seeds. The hummingbirds flock to them and seem to stake them out as part of their territory, so they are a wonderful asset to any garden.

Positive heavenlybamboo On Sep 22, 2008, heavenlybamboo from Centerville, MO wrote:

I have successfully rooted cuttings of this plant under a glass jar in a pot of miracle grow on my shady front porch. I have the red-violet or magenta colored form of the wildflower. It is not a hybrid.

Neutral Cyprepedium On Jul 31, 2008, Cyprepedium from Palmer, MA wrote:

For decades I admired Lobelia cardinalis when I would encounter it in Massachusetts wetlands. I also found it when I lived in the Midwest and in Texas. Now that I am back in New England, and have started to garden, I decided to try to grow this beautiful flower.

I pruchased a plant in May from a very reputable area nursery. It had three stalks. I planted it in a sunny location, and have been giving it plenty of water. As time went by, more stalks sprouted. About a month ago, the tallest of the stalks bent at the top at about a 45-degree angle. A couple more of the stalks began to do the same. Some of the younger stalks are now showing buds, but there are no buds on the stalks that bent at the top.

Positive dkm65 On Aug 16, 2007, dkm65 from Cedar Falls, IA
(Zone 4b) wrote:

One of the most intense, deep red flowers. The only drawback is that it will make you realize how your other red flowers aren't as intensely red as you thought in comparison. It is must in a native rain garden, and likes well-drained soil that gets a bit more rain runoff than usual (swales and depressions in your garden). It can tolerate some drought as well, as it is very deep rooted.

As others have said, it is a hummingbird magnet supreme. We have honeysuckle, trumpet vine, columbine, monarda, royal catchfly, etc., but none of our other hummingbird-attracting plants draw them like cardinal flower.

It looks really good interplanted with its sibling great blue lobelia (L. siphilitica) with its blue flowers matching the cardinal flowers in intensity of color, and their similar bloom time.

It is a shorter lived species than siphilitica, but as some have pointed out reseeds readily. Still, in a mature native garden with lots of assertive species, you may need to add a few plants from time to time. You'll probably find yourself adding a few more plants in future years just because you want more of it as time goes by anyway.

Positive JasperDale On Jun 21, 2007, JasperDale from Long Beach, CA
(Zone 10a) wrote:

I have had enormous success with this lobelia, which I planted from 4" pots. The first year, they just sort of sat there (like most perennials), but each successive year the plants have done wonderfully, and I have divided them several times. They are extremely easy to grow and only require being consistently moist, and not allowed to dry out.

A great brilliant red !

Positive Happy_1 On Aug 8, 2006, Happy_1 from Fort Lauderdale, FL
(Zone 10b) wrote:

This is 37" out of the pot and doing great. I got it when is was very small and it's just doing great in 10b ZONE.....

I was a bit confused at the beginning because the flower arose from a stem that was over an inch wide. Infact it looked like more of a stalk then a stem. Hap

Positive j3soft On May 6, 2006, j3soft from New Castle, PA wrote:

Hummingbirds flew to the plants as I was carrying them to the backyard after purchasing them at Lowe's Garden Center.

Hummingbirds fiercely guard my Lobelia cardinalis, sometimes even chasing me away from them.

Easily grown and propagated.

Positive pineapplesage On May 1, 2006, pineapplesage from Pewaukee, WI wrote:

The hummingbirds would not leave this flower alone. It survived the winter and came back in my zone 5. Always a positive. I did need to stake the flower stalk a bit in the midwest winds.

Positive woodspirit1 On Oct 5, 2005, woodspirit1 from Lake Toxaway, NC
(Zone 7a) wrote:

The pH requirements listed for this plant are questionable. It grows in the Appalachian Mountains wild, but the soil is very acid. I also see it growing in ditches regularly. I don't think it needs good drainage. It may tolerate soil that is mildly alkaline but my experience is that it likes acid soil.

Positive Breezymeadow On Jan 27, 2005, Breezymeadow from Culpeper, VA
(Zone 7a) wrote:

While I have not yet tried to grow the domesticated version of this plant at my current Zone 7 location, when I lived in a Zone 6 mountain area of Virginia, I had quite a few of the wild plants growing along the marshy edges of a stream that flowed thru a dense woodland area of my property.

The plants were truly lovely & the flowers seemed to "glow" in the dense shade. A really true brilliant red. With all the deer we had there, they never touched these plants, so I assume that this might be a good plant for gardeners with a moist shady area + a deer problem.

Positive pokerboy On Jan 26, 2005, pokerboy from Canberra
()
(Zone 8b) wrote:

This plant has a beautiful, firey red flower. In cold winter areas much to protect from frost heaving. In the warmer winter areas winter mulch may rot the crowns. This plant selfsows prolifically. pokerboy.

Neutral tcfromky On Oct 11, 2004, tcfromky from Mercer, PA
(Zone 5a) wrote:

The Lobelia species contains alkaloid lobeline which is poisonous in large doses but in small quantities is used in a number of medicinal preparations used quit smoking, revive persons from drug overdoses or as a psychoactive drug.

An interesting historical account relates that cardinal flower and lobelia, in sites in Nebraska were found in close association to historic Pawnee villages, suggesting the Pawnee introduced and cultivated it. Another source relates that Cherokee medicine men cultivated it for medicinal purposes.

Positive julie88 On Sep 14, 2004, julie88 from Muscoda, WI
(Zone 4b) wrote:

This plant pops up in the shady dampish back water marsh areas of the Wisconscin River (zone 4b). But ut never seems to show up in the same place two years in a row.

Positive sparkyann2 On Sep 7, 2004, sparkyann2 from Madison, ME wrote:

Hummingbirds like this. Great late bloomer in my area when most bright colors have faded.

Neutral beverlyf On May 29, 2004, beverlyf from Weimar, TX
(Zone 8b) wrote:

I have just planted a Cardinal Flower Lobelia in a damp area. I hope it will survive there. I bought it at a watergarden nursery.

Positive max2cleo On Apr 24, 2004, max2cleo wrote:

excellent pond plant

Positive flowerman On Jan 28, 2004, flowerman from Saint Louis, MO wrote:

a hummingbird magnent.

Positive dreamer On Sep 15, 2003, dreamer from Natchez, MS wrote:

I found these plants flowering near the bank of the lake where I live. I am watching carefully for ripe seeds for my garden. The flowers are absolutely beautiful and blooming when my late season garden could use a big shot of dazzaling color like this.

Positive ButterflyGardnr On Jan 9, 2003, ButterflyGardnr from Orlando, FL
(Zone 9b) wrote:

The plants I have produced large, showy spikes of red flowers. It definitely prefers moist soil and will grow from seeds if the soil conditions are favorable. This flower is a hummingbird attractor.

Neutral Baa On Aug 31, 2002, Baa wrote:

An upright perennial native to North America.

Has lance shaped, mid to bronzy green, shiny, toothed leaves borne on reddish or green fleshy stems. Bears 2-lipped, bright red flowers on tall flower spikes.

Flowers July - September

Loves a moist but well drained soil in sun or light shade. Make sure the soil never dries out for too long.

Regional...

This plant has been said to grow in the following regions:

Decatur, Alabama
Houston, Alabama
Long Beach, California
Westwood, California
Hamden, Connecticut
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Lutz, Florida
New Port Richey, Florida
Cordele, Georgia
Cornelia, Georgia
Dallas, Georgia
Frankfort, Illinois
Mackinaw, Illinois
Midlothian, Illinois
Washington, Illinois
Greenville, Indiana
Hobart, Indiana
Jeffersonville, Indiana
Cedar Falls, Iowa
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Indianola, Iowa
Derby, Kansas
Louisville, Kentucky
Homer, Louisiana
Madison, Maine
Skowhegan, Maine
Parkville, Maryland
Valley Lee, Maryland
Palmer, Massachusetts
Reading, Massachusetts
Mason, Michigan
Natchez, Mississippi
Ballwin, Missouri
Blue Springs, Missouri
Centerville, Missouri
Piedmont, Missouri
Saint Louis, Missouri
Sandown, New Hampshire
Whiting, New Jersey
Jefferson, New York
West Kill, New York
Lake Toxaway, North Carolina
New Bern, North Carolina
Southport, North Carolina
Fremont, Ohio
Glouster, Ohio
Newalla, Oklahoma
Apollo, Pennsylvania
New Castle, Pennsylvania
Norristown, Pennsylvania
Conway, South Carolina
Salem, South Carolina
Summerville, South Carolina
Morrison, Tennessee
Mount Juliet, Tennessee
Rockwood, Tennessee
Viola, Tennessee
Conroe, Texas
Fort Worth, Texas
Houston, Texas
Jacksonville, Texas
Murchison, Texas
Nacogdoches, Texas
New Caney, Texas
Princeton, Texas
Blacksburg, Virginia
Lexington, Virginia
Reston, Virginia
Kalama, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Canvas, West Virginia
Cambridge, Wisconsin
Muscoda, Wisconsin
Pewaukee, Wisconsin



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