Cardinal Flower

Introducing the Cardinal Flower: A Vibrant Beauty for Your Garden

Add vibrant color and elegance to your garden with the Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis). Known for its striking scarlet-red blooms and graceful stature, this native North American perennial is a true showstopper. Its lush foliage and brilliant flowers make it a must-have for any garden enthusiast or nature lover. Discover the Cardinal Flower and unlock the secrets of its captivating beauty.

Standing tall and proud, the Cardinal Flower reaches an impressive 2 to 4 feet (60 to 120 centimeters)

Its upright, sturdy stems are adorned with deep green, lance-shaped leaves, creating a lush backdrop for the star attraction—the stunning tubular flowers. The cardinal-red blooms, reminiscent of a vibrant flame, steal the spotlight with their intense hue, attracting attention from humans and pollinators alike.

The Cardinal Flower's gorgeous flowers emerge mid to late summer, creating a magnificent display lasting several weeks. Each flower is a haven for hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees, irresistibly drawn to its nectar-rich blossoms. Witness the dance of these enchanting creatures as they flit and flutter among the flowers, bringing life and energy to your garden.

Its adaptability allows it to flourish in well-drained garden beds or borders, provided it receives sufficient moisture. Choose a sunny to partially shaded spot in your garden, and watch as the Cardinal Flower takes root and thrives in its preferred environment.

Besides its striking beauty, the Cardinal Flower also plays an essential ecological role

It attracts various beneficial insects, contributing to your garden's health and biodiversity. Its bright red flowers act as beacons, guiding pollinators to your garden oasis while supporting their essential role in the ecosystem.

Growing and caring for the Cardinal Flower is a breeze. With its low maintenance requirements, it's suitable for both beginner and experienced gardeners. Regular watering and fertilization during dry seasons will ensure optimal development and profuse flowering. As the seasons change, the Cardinal Flower will reward you with its stunning display year after year.

Whether designing a wildflower garden, a pollinator-friendly space, or simply seeking a vibrant focal point, the Cardinal Flower is a perfect choice. Its dramatic presence, combined with its environmental benefits, makes it an exceptional addition to any landscape. Watch as your garden transforms into a haven of natural beauty, attracting many delightful visitors.

The Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis) is an eye-catching addition to your landscape and provides several advantages that make it an excellent investment.
From its ecological contributions to its therapeutic properties, here are the top benefits of the Cardinal Flower:

1. Biodiversity Support: The Cardinal Flower attracts pollinators, including hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees. By planting this native perennial, you're providing a valuable food source and habitat for these essential creatures, contributing to the overall biodiversity of your garden and promoting a healthy ecosystem.

2. Hummingbird Magnet: The bright red tubular flowers of the Cardinal Flower act as a magnet for hummingbirds. These charming birds are a joy to watch and play a vital role in pollination. By attracting hummingbirds, you're ensuring the pollination of other plants in your garden, increasing fruit and seed production.

3. Butterfly Haven: Butterflies are beautiful creatures and essential pollinators. The Cardinal Flower's vibrant blooms serve as a beacon for butterflies, inviting them to sip on the nectar-rich flowers. Including this plant in your garden creates a welcoming haven for these graceful insects and supports their lifecycle.

4. Bees' Paradise: Bees, known for their crucial role in pollination, require nectar-rich plants to sustain their populations. The Cardinal Flower offers abundant nectar, making it highly attractive to bees. By providing a food source for bees, you're helping to support their vital role in pollinating crops and maintaining a healthy ecosystem.

5. Garden Focal Point: With its striking scarlet-red flowers and tall stature, the Cardinal Flower makes a captivating focal point in any garden or landscape. It adds vibrant color and creates a visually stunning display, drawing attention and admiration from all who behold it.

6. Natural Water Garden Plant: The Cardinal Flower thrives in moist to wet soil conditions, making it an excellent choice for water gardens, rain gardens, or the edges of ponds and streams. Its ability to grow in waterlogged areas contributes to natural water filtration and aids in preventing soil erosion.

7. Low Maintenance: The Cardinal Flower is a relatively low-maintenance plant suitable for novice and experienced gardeners. Once established, it requires minimal care, occasional watering during dry spells, and periodic fertilization to promote optimal growth and blooming.

8. Therapeutic Properties: Besides its aesthetic appeal, the Cardinal Flower has been used in traditional medicine for its therapeutic properties. It has been employed to treat various ailments, including respiratory issues, digestive disorders, and fevers. However, speaking with a healthcare practitioner is critical before utilizing any plant for medicinal purposes.

9. Native Plant Preservation: By incorporating native plants like the Cardinal Flower in your garden, you're contributing to preserving local biodiversity. Native plants are more resource-efficient and better suited to the local environment. They also offer vital homes for local species.

10. Long-Lasting Beauty: The Cardinal Flower's stunning blooms grace the garden for several weeks, creating a vibrant display of color and life. Because of its durability, you may appreciate its beauty all summer, giving it a constant source of visual enjoyment.


Embrace the numerous benefits of the Cardinal Flower and elevate your garden's beauty, ecological value, and therapeutic ambiance. From attracting pollinators to providing a captivating focal point, this striking perennial is a true asset to any garden enthusiast or nature lover.

Unleash the beauty and allure of the Cardinal Flower in your garden. Embrace the fiery red blooms, the gentle sway of its green foliage, and the symphony of nature it attracts. Experience the joy and tranquility that comes with creating a harmonious outdoor sanctuary. Invest in the Cardinal Flower and witness the magic unfold as it becomes the centerpiece of your garden.

The cardinal flower, Lobelia cardinalis, is a herbaceous perennial plant native to North America. It is a popular garden plant due to its stunning display of bright red, tubular flowers that attract hummingbirds and butterflies. The flowers bloom on tall spikes in late summer and fall and are accompanied by lance-shaped leaves that grow up to 8 inches long.

The plant contains toxic alkaloids and should not be consumed without proper preparation and guidance from a trained practitioner.

The Lobelia cardinalis is a herbaceous perennial plant native to North America. It is a popular garden plant due to its stunning display of bright red, tubular flowers that attract hummingbirds and butterflies. The flowers bloom on tall spikes in late summer and fall and are accompanied by lance-shaped leaves that grow up to 8 inches long.

In addition to being a beautiful ornamental plant, indigenous communities have also used the red cardinal flower in traditional medicine for various purposes, such as treating respiratory issues, inflammation, and fever.

The plant contains toxic alkaloids and should not be consumed without proper preparation and guidance from a trained practitioner.

Cardinal Flower: Lobelia cardinalis, or the cardinal flower, is a hardy, perennial native herbaceous flower that will catch the eye with its scarlet blossoms.

This plant originated in the lower midwest and mid-south regions, enjoying the hot summer days and high relative humidity. However, it is also an adaptable species and can grow in almost every USDA growing zone in the United States.

Besides the cardinal flower, here are a few other common names for Lobelia cardinalis: water gladiola, scarlet flower, Indian pink, crimson bellflower, and cardinal bellflower.

This plant needs partial or full sun to produce the stunning cardinal red flowers that earned it its common name.

It is also more agreeable to soil with lots of moisture--it does not like to dry out. So if you have a pond, water garden, or rain garden, this perennial is ideal.

Otherwise, a layer of hardwood mulch will help it retain the high water level this beautiful plant craves.

Cardinal Flower Is an Impressive Full-Sun Species

The cardinal flower can reach a mature height of up to six feet tall. However, they generally stay between three and four feet.

Alternating, dark green leaves are oval-shaped with serrated edges and a narrow tip. Each leaf can measure four inches long. The central, singular stem is light green, deciduous, and sturdy.

The cardinal flowers put on their colorful show from late summer until early fall. The flowers form in a spike shape on the stem; each is tube-shaped, two-lipped, and about an inch and a half long. Although most cardinal flowers are the signature scarlet red, some may present as bright pink.

Order Your Cardinal Flowers From TN Nursery Today

TN Nursery recommends the cardinal flower if you need a flower that loves the hot summer sun and humid conditions. This lovely plant is beautiful and well-suited to those growing conditions--order yours today.