FoliageCardinal Flower
Lobelia cardinalis
Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis) is a perennial, hardy in USDA zones 3-9, that matures to about 2-4 ft × 1-2 ft. It does best in full sun and part shade with high water needs in moist and occasionally-wet soil. Expect pink, red and white blooms in summer and fall. It attracts butterflies, hummingbirds and pollinators, stands up well to wet soil.
- USDA zones
- 3-9
- Sun
- Full sun, Part shade
- Water
- High
- Mature size
- 2-4 ft × 1-2 ft
- Maintenance
- Low
- Soil
- Moist, Occasionally-wet
- Bloom color
- Pink, Red, White
- Bloom season
- Summer, Fall
- Attracts
- Butterflies, Hummingbirds, Pollinators
- Tough against
- Wet soil
- Native to
- Americas
In the landscape
Data sources
Freeze survival
Will it survive your winters?
Hardiness zones show a normal bad winter. We check the worst one — Cardinal Flower is hardy to about -40°F (estimated from USDA zone 3), so we'll score it against the real coldest nights your area has actually had.
Powered by ~35 years of daily lows from the nearest NOAA weather station. A risk read, not a guarantee — a sheltered spot or mature plant beats the odds.
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