Key Features
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Produces striking scarlet-red flowers arranged along tall, upright flower spikes.
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Features attractive green foliage with an elegant, upright growth habit.
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Herbaceous perennial that returns under suitable growing conditions.
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Beautiful addition to cottage gardens, borders, rain gardens, and pond edges.
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Flowers attract hummingbirds, butterflies, and other beneficial pollinators.
Growing Benefits
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Garden Beauty: Adds brilliant red color to summer and autumn landscapes.
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Pollinator Attraction: Provides nectar that attracts hummingbirds and butterflies.
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Natural Landscaping: Enhances rain gardens and moisture-loving garden spaces.
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Perennial Growth: Returns seasonally in suitable climates and growing conditions.
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Garden Versatility: Complements woodland gardens, pond edges, and flower borders.
Seed Specifications
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Common Name: Cardinal Flower, Scarlet Lobelia, Red Lobelia
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Botanical Name: Lobelia cardinalis
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Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial wildflower
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Colors: Brilliant scarlet red flowers with green foliage
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Height: Approximately two to four feet
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Sunlight: Full sun to partial shade
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Soil: Rich, fertile, moisture-retentive soil
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Water: Consistently moist to wet soil
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Germination Time: Variable; cold-moist stratification can improve germination
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Sowing Depth: Surface sow; seeds require light to germinate
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Spacing: Allow approximately twelve to eighteen inches between plants
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Growing Zones: USDA Zones three through nine
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Flowering/Maturity: Summer to early autumn; flowering time varies with climate
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Uses: Flower borders, rain gardens, pond edges, wildlife gardens, and pollinator gardens
Growing Tips
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Keep the soil consistently moist because Cardinal Flower does not tolerate prolonged dryness.
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Surface-sow seeds and provide adequate light for successful germination.
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Choose a location with morning sunlight and partial afternoon shade in hot climates.
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Remove spent flower stalks if you want to manage self-seeding.
Seed Storage
Store Cardinal Flower seeds in a cool, dry, and dark location. Keep them in a sealed, moisture-resistant container or paper seed packet. Protect seeds from direct sunlight, excessive humidity, and heat. Label the container with the plant name and storage date.
Unique Facts About Cardinal Flower Seeds
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Cardinal Flower gets its name from its brilliant red blossoms, which resemble the red robes traditionally worn by cardinals.
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Its tubular flowers are particularly attractive to hummingbirds, which help pollinate the plant.
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Each mature flower stalk produces small capsules containing numerous tiny seeds.
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Cardinal Flower naturally grows in wetlands, marshes, streambanks, and other consistently moist habitats.


