Cardinal Flower
Herbaceous perennial growing 60-120 cm tall. Features lance-shaped leaves and brilliant red, tubular flowers blooming in late summer to early fall. Prefers consistently moist to wet soils and full sun to partial shade. Attracts hummingbirds and swallowtail butterflies. Suitable for rain gardens, stream banks, and pond edges. Short-lived but self-seeds in favorable conditions. Native to Americas.
Plant Details
Bloom Colour: Red
Bloom Time: Mid to Late-Summer
Sun Requirements: Sun to Part-Shade
Moisture: Moist to Wet
Phenology: Growth emerges May. Leaves fully developed by June. Brilliant red flowers appear July-September. Seeds mature October. Dies back completely after frost.
Wildlife Value: Premier hummingbird nectar plant; attracts swallowtail butterflies; seeds eaten by small birds; deer resistant
Habit Over Time: Creates loose clumps of upright stems emerging from a basal rosette. While it self-seeds readily in moist conditions, it does not spread vegetatively and maintains clear clump boundaries. The tall flower spikes provide strong vertical elements that allow views through to background plants. May form larger colonies through self-seeding but is easy to edit.
Height: Medium to Tall (2-4 feet)