Lobelia cardinalis
Photo by Shirley Denton. Photograph belongs to the photographer who allows use for FNPS purposes only. Please contact the photographer for all other uses.
Natural Range in Florida
USDA Zones
Suitable to grow in:
8A 8B 9A 9B
2002-2022, Copyright Florida Native Plant Society
Cardinal Flower
Campanulaceae
Plant Specifics
| Size: | 3-5 ft tall by 1 ft wide | |
| Life Span: | Short-lived perennial | |
| Flower Color: | Red | |
| Fruit Color: | Brown,NA | |
| Phenology: | Winter dormant. Blooms late summer-early winter. While perennial, some plants may die after flowering. | |
| Habitats: | Riverine swamps, spring run swamps, bogs, in mats of floating vegetation, wet ditches. |
Landscaping
| Recommended Uses: | Wildflower in moist garden, edge of water garden, understory plant in wet woods or stream edges | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Light: | Full Sun, Part Shade, Shade | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Moisture Tolerance: |
always floodedextremely dry |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Moisture Tolerance: | Aquatic ----- to ----- Somewhat moist, no flooding | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Salt Water Flooding Tolerance: | Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Salt Spray Tolerance: | Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Soil/Substrate: | Pond, lake, or stream bottom, Loam, Organic material (muck), Sand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wildlife
Attracts hummingbirds.
The nectar attracts various Swallowtail butterflies.
Bumblebees will steal nectar through slits in the tubular corolla.
Halictid bees sometimes gather pollen, but they are apparently ineffective at pollination (Hillty, ).