Cardinal Flower
Screaming scarlet spikes. The most vivid red in the native plant world.
Dangerous to cats
The ASPCA lists cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis) as toxic to cats and dogs: vomiting, diarrhoea, drooling, stomach pain, lethargy and heart rhythm disturbances, which is why a real ingestion is worth a vet call rather than a wait and see. Other lobelias are not listed by name, but they are the same genus, so give them the same caution.
Bloom Season
Jul - Sep
JFMAMJJASOND
Sun Requirements
◐ Part Sun4-6 hours
◑ Part Shade2-4 hours
Water Needs
High
Consistently moist
Size & Zones
2-4' tall
USDA Zones 3-10
Bloom Colors
Red
Traits
✿ Pollinator Friendly♣ Native Species❖ Hummingbird Magnet
Soil
Clay
Where to buy
Find Cardinal Flower plants on Amazon.
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Pairs Well With
Further Listening
Ep. 541: Coexistence and Maintaining Species Boundaries
In Defense of Plants
Uses the genus Lobelia to ask how closely related species stay distinct while growing side by side.
Ruby-throated Hummingbirds and Cardinal Flower: A Perfect Partnership
The Natural Web
On why this flower's shape and bloom timing line up with the hummingbird migration that pollinates it.
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