Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis)
[lo-BEE-lee-ah kar-din-AL-iss]

Deciduous Perennial Mounded in the Campanulaceae Family
 
Buy Cardinal Flower
Size Notes Price Availability
#1 gallon Field $11.97
Tray of 10 4" pots Field $60.45

Limited Availability

Cardinal Flower dazzles with its brilliant red spikes, attracting hummingbirds and pollinators to any garden. This striking perennial thrives in moist conditions, adding a bold splash of color to sunny, shady or wet areas.

Cardinal Flower, Lobelia cardinalis, is a herbaceous perennial that may grow 4 to 5 feet tall.

 

It was introduced to Europe in the mid 1620’s where it earned its common name, likely because the bright red flowers – described as scarlet, crimson, or vermilion – are the same color as the vestments worn by Roman Catholic cardinals. 

 

The leaves alternate with a toothed margin. Brilliant red blooms first mature in late summer and continue into mid-fall. The showy flowers begin opening at the bottom of a terminal flower spike and continue to the top.

 

The flowers are pollinated by hummingbirds, butterflies and bees. It is also good for cut flowers but the stems do have a milky sap. This plant is effective in moist areas of woodland/shade gardens, wet meadows, or along streams or ponds. Also water gardens and rain gardens. It also adds late summer bloom and height to borders as long as the soil is kept uniformly moist.

Pros

North American Native

Illinois Native

Award of Garden Merit
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 24 - 48 inches tall. 12 - 24 inches wide.
Sun Exposure Partial Shade - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Medium - Wet: Water the plants twice a week in the absence of rainfall for the first month, and weekly thereafter throughout spring and summer. Apply a 2- to 3-inch layer of mulch around the plants to help the soil hold in moisture.
Zones 3a - 9b (Usually hardy to -40° F)
Tags Attracts Bees, Attracts Beneficial Insects, Attracts Butterflies, Attracts Hummingbirds, Attracts Pollinators, Attracts Wildlife, Container, Deciduous, Deer Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Edging, For a Shady Spot, Formal Garden, Fragrant Flowers, Full Sun, Good for Accents, Good for Beginners, Good for Borders, Good for Butterfly Garden, Good for Cottage Garden, Good for Cut Flowers, Good for Rain Garden, Good for Rock Garden, Illinois Native, Low Maintenance, Medium, Most Popular, Mounded, Native to North America, Naturalizing, Normal Soil, Partial Shade, Partial Sun, Perennial, Plant of Merit, Pond, Popular For Fall, Prairie Garden, Rabbit Resistant, Shade Tolerant, Showy Flowers, Tolerant of Clay Soil, Tolerant of Moist Soil, Tolerant of Sandy Soil, Well-Drained Soil, Wet, Wet Site Tolerant, Woodland Garden
Bloom Period July to September
Flower Color Scarlet Red, White Or Rose
Animals That Use It

Flowers:

Nectar:
 

Most Popular Plants
 

Absolutely Easy Garden Recipes that include Cardinal Flower
 

More Info from Experts

Commonly Planted with...

Bee Balm, Black-eyed Susan, Wild Bergamot, Ironweed, Swamp Milkweed, Blue Flag Iris, New England Aster, Great Blue Lobelia, Culver's Root.

Photos of This with...

Kalm's St. John's Wort, Purple Loosestrife, Ostrich Fern
 
Want More photos of this plant? Try Google Image Search!
 


Pricing and Availability History

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Limited Availability

We try very hard to source exactly what you’d like, but sometimes growers run out of plants! While this variety is a great deal at the price shown, we know that it has limited availability. If you want the plant even if it might be more expensive, or in a different size or quantity -- after you place your order, just send us a quick note at help@northshoreplantclub.com. Then, we’ll try to get you some version of this from one of our growers. And if we can’t get it from anywhere, of course, we’ll send a refund!


Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


Estimated Recipe Cost

The cost of this recipe's ingredients will vary depending on the season and the sizes and varieties you select.


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No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!