Cardinal Flower

Lobelia cardinalis

skinny, bright red vertical flowers of the cardinal flower
“Lobelia cardinalis” by Glenn Marsch, via Flickr. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
a few plants of the bright red cardinal flower
“Cardinal Flower” by pietila4, via Flickr. CC BY-SA 2.0.

Ecological Benefits: attracts Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds, Swallowtail Butterflies, and bees, host plant of Pink-Washed Looper Moth

Bloom period: midsummer-midfall

Best Areas for Planting: mid- to high moisture, full sun, loamy & sandy soils

Natural Habitat: can be found in floodplain forests, swamps, marshes, wet meadows, ditches, low roadsides

Most of the species information is from The Virginia Native Plant Society website, which offers free, extensive pdfs for each region of Virginia, highlighting about 100 native species (there are many more!) and helpful additional information for planning personal projects. If you aren’t from Virginia, you can search for similar resources in your state! To explore other resources and advice, navigate to the guidance page.

Visit the homepage to explore other sites and learn more about native plants.