Cardinal Flower

Perennial  •  $6, 4-inch pot

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Height	2 to 3.5 ft
Spacing	1.5 ft
Sun Exposure	Light Shade to Full Sun
Soil Moisture	Moist to Wet
Bloom Color	Red
Bloom Time	July, Aug
Companion Plantings	Turtlehead, Boneset, Sneezeweed
Special Attributes

Lobelia cardinalis

Even in person, the deep color of these flowers is such a rich scarlet-red that it seems cartoonish – there is a reason this native has become well-established in the nursery trade. This red color also reliably draws hummingbirds and is a good plant to have in the garden during the hot and muggy summer months when cleaning the hummingbird feeder can become tedious. Since bees and many other insects can’t detect the color red, the only other pollinators of this plant are butterflies, especially Swallowtails, which seem to be particularly adept at detecting red.

Cardinal Flower needs consistently moist soil, and is one of a few instances that would warrant adding compost as a soil amendment at planting if the location is too dry. This is one plant that will do as well in light shade as in full sun and would flourish along a small lake or swampy woodland. While short-lived (3 to 4 years), Lobelia cardinalis freely self-seeds and will pop up in different places throughout the garden. While pretty, this plant is not a significant host plant and isn’t overwhelmingly beneficial in terms of the wildlife it supports.

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