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Campanulaceae
Cardinal Flower
Lobelia cardinalis
Distinction, faith, blazing conviction.
- Family
- Campanulaceae
- Genus
- Lobelia
- Native to
- Eastern and central North America
- Bloom season
- Late Summer, Early Fall
- Type
- Herbaceous perennial
- Height
- 60–120 cm
- Sunlight
- Full sun to part shade
- Soil
- Rich, moist to wet
- Water
- High
- Hardiness
- 3–9
- Lifespan
- Short-lived perennial; reseeds
Did you know
- Cardinal flower is named for the brilliant red robes worn by Catholic cardinals — there's almost no other native North American wildflower this saturated a scarlet.
- The tubular flowers are shaped specifically for ruby-throated hummingbird beaks; bees can't reach the nectar, so hummingbirds are the primary pollinators.
- Each stalk holds dozens of flowers that open from the bottom up over several weeks in late summer and early fall.
- It loves wet feet and grows wild along stream banks, marshes, and pond edges from Canada to Colombia.
- Despite its showy beauty, all parts of the plant are mildly toxic — Native peoples used it medicinally but in carefully controlled doses.
Color meanings
Red
Burning devotion