Lobelia cardinalis

Cardinal flower is a flat perennial herb with 1-2 inch red flowers in 1-2 foot spike of 20 or more. It grows in bogs. Cardinal flower has nice cut flowers. It is a hummingbird flower. Useful in the background of a wet garden, use in seeps for show,doesn't care much whether it is in sun or shade. The customers that wander in not knowing what a native or drought tolerant is have to be dragged away from these plants. The British say it is only half hardy. We've yet to freeze it out. This plant will be a little chlorotic unless it is in very fertile soil or has lots of water, no biggy, flowers still big and red. If you have a spot that is moist and too wet for anything, this one should help a great deal. (syn. Lobelia graminea, Lobelia splendens, Lobelia phyllostachacya,subsp. graminea var. pseudosplendens, Dormannia splendens, look at Systematic botany (Apr-Jun 1997) Phenetic analysis of morphological variation in the Lobelia cardinalis complex (Campanulaceae: Lobelioideae) Thompson, S.W.; Lammere, T.G. for more.)