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Growing Inspiration
Inspiration for future Agardeni growing environments.
Cultivar
Lobelia cardinalis
Lobelia cardinalis, commonly known as Cardinal Flower, is a moisture-loving perennial featuring dramatic spikes of vivid red, tubular flowers. It is a standout choice for rain gardens, pond edges, or any consistently damp area of the landscape. Beyond its ornamental appeal, it is highly regarded for its ability to draw hummingbirds and butterflies into the garden during the summer months.
Cardinal Flower is a striking perennial known for its intense red, tubular flowers that attract hummingbirds. It thrives in moist, boggy soils and is an excellent choice for waterside gardens.
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18-plant pack · Ship
$65.46 total
360 plants available · max 20 packs
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Agardeni ships from Florida and does not monitor destination temperatures nationwide. Customers are responsible for considering local weather conditions and retrieving packages promptly after delivery.
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Cultivar Story
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Inspiration for future Agardeni growing environments.
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A realistic representation of the starter plants offered in 18, 36, and 72 plant quantities.
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Grow your aspirational plan into an inspirational garden.
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A closer look at the fruit, flower, foliage, or mature defining characteristics of this cultivar.
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Begin with a starter plant and establish it in a larger pot using quality potting soil with beneficials and fertilizer.
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Start with real plants. Plan with current marketplace availability. Grow your aspirational garden.
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See this cultivar from starter plant to aspirational garden.
Plant Profile
Key growing information first, with the complete reviewed cultivar profile available when you want it.
Sun
Full sun to partial shade.
Water
Requires high moisture. Maintain consistently wet or damp soil throughout the growing season; avoid allowing the soil to dry out.
Mature size
2-4 feet tall, 1-2 feet wide.
Hardiness
3-9
Growth habit
Upright, clumping perennial.
Plant type
Perennial
Care, size, flowering, climate, soil, health, and additional reviewed data.
Good to know
Requires consistently moist to wet soil to thrive; will not tolerate extended dry periods. Excellent for sites with poor drainage.
Hardy perennial tolerant of winter cold within its zone range. Prefers moderate summer temperatures.
Produces tall, terminal racemes of deep scarlet, tubular flowers from mid-to-late summer through early autumn.
Everyday care, growth, feeding, and pruning guidance.
Sun / light
Full sun to partial shade.
Growth rate
Moderate.
Fertilizer
Generally does not require heavy feeding. A light application of balanced, slow-release fertilizer in early spring can support growth.
Pruning
Cut back spent flower stalks after blooming to encourage tidiness. Stems can be left over winter to provide winter interest or protective cover.
Care notes
Requires consistently moist to wet soil to thrive; will not tolerate extended dry periods. Excellent for sites with poor drainage.
How the plant grows and the space it needs at maturity.
Mature size
2-4 feet tall, 1-2 feet wide.
Growth habit
Upright, clumping perennial.
Spacing
12-18 inches apart.
Flowering, fruiting, pollination, bloom, and harvest behavior.
Flowering / fruiting
Produces tall, terminal racemes of deep scarlet, tubular flowers from mid-to-late summer through early autumn.
Cold, heat, chill, and regional growing considerations.
Hardiness zones
3-9
Temperature
Hardy perennial tolerant of winter cold within its zone range. Prefers moderate summer temperatures.
Moisture, drainage, soil, and pH preferences.
Watering
Requires high moisture. Maintain consistently wet or damp soil throughout the growing season; avoid allowing the soil to dry out.
Soil
Rich, organic, moisture-retentive soils. Performs best in heavy, silty, or clay-based soils that mimic wetland conditions.
Soil pH
6.0-7.5
19 additional reviewed fields from this Plant.id.
Container Growing
Suitable for container gardening if kept in a self-watering container or a pot set within a tray of water to ensure constant moisture.
Family
Campanulaceae
Foliage Look
Bright green, smooth, lance-shaped foliage arranged in a basal rosette.
Foliage Rules
Leaves are alternate, lanceolate, and bright green. Avoid showing variegation or fuzzy textures.
Fruit Flower Look
Vivid, cardinal-red tubular blossoms arranged in long, vertical clusters.
Fruit Flower Rules
Flowers are tubular with distinct, asymmetrical lobes. Blooms appear in a vertical spike, opening from bottom to top.
Growth Habit Rules
Maintain an upright, vertical growth orientation for mature flowering stems. Do not depict as a sprawling or wide shrub.
Mature Plant Look
Tall, elegant, vibrant red spikes rising above a base of green foliage.
Mature Stage Morphology
Develops a tall, unbranched or sparsely branched flowering spike rising from the basal rosette; foliage becomes more sparse as it climbs the stem.
Morphology Rules
Ensure the plant height is expressed in the tall, vertical flower spikes characteristic of this genus.
Plant Faqs
Does Cardinal Flower require standing water? It thrives in very moist to wet soil and is excellent near ponds, but it does not require full submersion. Will this attract wildlife? Yes, the vivid red flowers are a favorite of hummingbirds and butterflies. How tall does it grow? It typically reaches 2 to 4 feet in height depending on local conditions and soil moisture.
Root Look
Healthy, white to tan fibrous root ball.
Soil Look
Dark, rich, damp soil surface, possibly with slight mulch or algae hints given the aquatic preference.
Starter Stage
Young starter plants appear as small, basal rosettes of smooth, lance-shaped green leaves.
Starter Stage Morphology
Low-growing, dense rosettes with simple, alternate, slightly serrated green foliage; roots are typically vigorous and fiber-heavy.
Video Voiceover Script
Welcome to Agardeni, where inspiration for gardening helps us imagine how and where we will grow Cardinal Flower. This is Cardinal Flower, available as 18, 36, and 72 plant starter trays through the Agardeni Marketplace. Let Cardinal Flower become part of your aspirational plan, helping you imagine the future aquatic setting you want to create. These brilliant, tubular, cardinal-red flowers rise on tall, elegant spikes to create a vertical statement that naturally attracts hummingbirds and pollinators. Establish your starter plug in a four-inch pot with quality, well-draining potting mix, and later move it to your final moist garden location. Find your inspiration with Agardeni. Explore real plants and real availability. Start. Plan. Grow.
Youtube Tags
Lobelia cardinalis Cardinal Flower Agardeni perennial plants rain garden hummingbird garden moisture loving plants aquatic plants native perennials garden inspiration
Youtube Video Summary
Discover the vibrant beauty of Lobelia cardinalis, the iconic Cardinal Flower. This moisture-loving perennial is a perfect addition to water-edge gardens, providing striking red blooms that hummingbirds adore.
Youtube Video Title
Growing Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis)
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Possible future seller options for 2.5-inch, 4-inch, and 1-gallon finished plants.