Cardinal flower
Lobelia cardinalis
Fire-engine red for wet spots; a hummingbird favorite.
Hardiness: zones 3 to 9
Light: part shade
Size: about 3 ft tall, 1 ft wide
From: North America
Here: Hardy in the Lake Erie shore climate (zone 6b to 7a), so it can live outdoors in the ground.
Good for: pollinators.
Native to: Northeast, Southeast, Midwest & Great Lakes, Great Plains & Texas, Desert Southwest, California, Eastern Canada. Hardy in zones 3 to 9.
The story
Cardinal flower is named for the red robes of Roman Catholic cardinals. Most bees cannot see pure red or reach the nectar, so the plant depends almost entirely on hummingbirds, whose foreheads pick up the pollen.
Planting
Sun or part shade and constantly moist soil: a stream edge, a rain garden, a leaky faucet.
Growing
Never let it dry out. Keep mulch off the winter rosettes, and let it reseed; plants are short-lived.
Harvest and use
Red spikes in August, exactly when hummingbirds are fattening up for migration.
What to watch for
All parts are toxic if eaten. It vanishes in dry soil.
See if Cardinal flower fits your yard
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More native and wild plants
General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home