Lobelia cardinalis

Needs constant moisture so mulching would be quite beneficial. Propagate by seed or cuttings. May self seed. Best used in a border or a wild, hummingbird, butterfly or water garden. Also adds color to woodland gardens.

Another perennial to add color to the shaded and wet garden, Lobelia cardinalis, or cardinal flower, has a clump-forming habit with brilliant red flower spikes set against green and purple-bronze colored foliage. Each individual spike of scarlet flowers open from bottom to top and stays in bloom for several weeks and is a favorite for hummingbirds. The red intensity is much like Spigelia marilandica and is a must-have for gardeners wishing to attract hummingbirds to their yards. Plants can range anywhere from 1’-6’ tall, depending on site conditions, but mostly stay around 2’-4’.

Found throughout the Americas, cardinal flower occurs and in other locations with rich soil that is acidic to neutral and in filtered shade to full sun. While not a true perennial, Lobelia cardinalis propagates itself by offsets from axils at the basal foliage which form their own roots. When placed in a suitable site, cardinal flower will happily self-sow from seed.

Cardinal flower performs best with consistent moisture – in areas where drier conditions may occur, mulching is encouraged. It is a lovely plant to be used en masse in a border or in a wildlife, hummingbird, butterfly or water garden. This plant supports ruby-throated hummingbirds, swallowtail butterflies, and bumblebees that are able to pierce the corollas for nectar.