Habit
Hardyplants, Wikimedia · Domaine public
Cardinal flower
Lobelia cardinalis L.
Also known as: Cardinal lobelia
Family: Campanulaceae
60 to 100 cm tall
Moist beds, pond margins and wet soils, partial shade to full sun
Flowering: July – September
Full sun
Part shade
Hardy to about -20°C with good mulching (dislikes the combination of stagnant moisture and frost)
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
Its brilliant red evolved to attract hummingbirds, its natural pollinators in North America, which are absent from Europe, where it is visited only by insects.
🍃 Leaves
Alternate, lanceolate, toothed, dark green to sometimes purplish depending on the variety
🌸 Flowers
Brilliant bright red, tubular and two-lipped, gathered in long upright spikes
🍎 Fruits
Small dry capsule with seeds
🪵 Bark
Not applicable — herbaceous plant
🗺️ Distribution
Native to North America, along watercourses and in wetlands
🐝 Value for pollinators
Flowers adapted to pollination by hummingbirds in its native range; visited by butterflies in Europe
✂️ Horticultural uses
Moist beds, pond and artificial stream margins, appreciated for its intense red
⚠️ Possible toxicity
All parts contain alkaloids that are mildly toxic if ingested in large quantity
🌱 Known cultivars
'Queen Victoria'
The cultivar 'Queen Victoria' has very dark purple-black foliage that contrasts with its scarlet-red flowers, whereas the typical species has green leaves.
🌿 Other Campanulaceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
🌱 This database is constantly evolving — species and information are added and corrected regularly. Spotted a mistake? Report it below.
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