Lobelia Cardinal Flower Scarlet Bronze Live Plant Plug – 1-3″ Tall Starter

Overview

Introduce a burst of fiery color and natural elegance to your outdoor space with the Lobelia Cardinal Flower live plant. This beautiful perennial, scientifically known as Lobelia cardinalis, is cherished for its intense scarlet-red flowers and often features attractive bronze-toned foliage, making it a standout specimen in any garden design. You will receive a healthy, well-rooted starter plug, eager to establish itself and flourish into a mature, eye-catching plant. The cardinal flower is not just a visual delight; it’s also a magnet for pollinators, particularly hummingbirds and butterflies, bringing your garden to life with their graceful visits. Ideal for adding vertical interest and a touch of wild beauty, this plant thrives in conditions that mimic its native wetland habitats.

The ‘Starship’ series of Lobelia is known for its improved heat tolerance and robust growth, making this a reliable choice for gardeners in various climates. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just starting, this scarlet Lobelia plant provides an accessible way to cultivate stunning floral displays. Its unique combination of vivid color and attractive foliage ensures it will be a focal point, drawing admiration and enhancing the overall aesthetic of your landscape.

Key Benefits

Choosing the Lobelia Cardinal Flower live plant offers numerous advantages for your garden, combining aesthetic appeal with ecological benefits. This versatile plant is a fantastic investment for any outdoor enthusiast:

• Vibrant Scarlet Blooms: The most striking feature of this plant is its brilliant, true scarlet flowers that provide an unrivaled splash of color. These long-lasting blooms create a dramatic visual impact, ensuring your garden remains vibrant throughout its flowering season.
• Attracts Pollinators: Known as a premier hummingbird attracting plants, the cardinal flower’s tubular red blossoms are perfectly shaped to welcome these tiny, energetic birds. It also draws in butterflies, contributing to a healthy and biodiverse garden ecosystem.
• Attractive Bronze Foliage: Beyond its flowers, many varieties of Lobelia cardinalis, including this one, boast rich bronze or burgundy foliage, offering year-round visual interest even before blooming. This contrasting foliage adds depth and texture to your plant arrangements.
• Versatile Planting Options: This cardinal flower is highly adaptable, fitting beautifully into various garden settings. It’s excellent for perennial borders, woodland gardens, naturalized areas, rain gardens, and even containers, allowing you to incorporate its beauty wherever you need it most.
• Relatively Easy Care: Despite its exotic appearance, the Lobelia cardinalis care requirements are straightforward, making it suitable for gardeners of all experience levels. With consistent moisture and appropriate light, it will thrive with minimal fuss.
• Hardy and Resilient: Suitable for USDA zones 6-10, this plant demonstrates good hardiness, returning year after year in appropriate climates. Its improved heat tolerance means it performs better than older varieties in warmer conditions.
• Ideal for Moist Areas: The cardinal flower naturally thrives in consistently moist to wet soil, making it an excellent choice for boggy areas, pond margins, or rain gardens where other plants might struggle. These are excellent wetland plants.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Successful cultivation of your Lobelia Cardinal Flower live plant hinges on understanding its specific environmental needs. This plant prefers conditions that mimic its natural habitat, which are typically moist, fertile areas. Proper attention to light, water, and soil will ensure a thriving and spectacular display of color.

For optimal growth, the cardinal flower prefers a location with full sun to partial shade. In cooler climates, full sun will encourage the most abundant flowering. However, in hotter regions, providing afternoon shade is crucial to prevent leaf scorch and stress on the plant. Consistent moisture is key; the soil should remain consistently moist but never waterlogged. This plant is an excellent candidate for areas with naturally high moisture or for planting near water features. Regular watering is essential, especially during dry spells, to prevent the soil from drying out completely. This is a critical aspect of good Lobelia cardinalis care.

The ideal soil for your Lobelia plug is rich, moist, and well-draining, with a high organic matter content. A soil pH between 6.0 and 7.0 is preferred. Avoid dry, sandy soils unless you are prepared to provide very frequent irrigation. Amending the soil with compost or other organic materials before planting will greatly benefit its establishment and long-term health. Fertilize annually in spring with a balanced slow-release fertilizer to support vigorous growth and flowering. Deadheading spent flower spikes can encourage a longer blooming period, though the plant’s natural tendency is to produce a single, impressive flush of blooms. The plant is hardy in USDA zones 6-10, meaning it can survive winter outdoors in these areas. In colder zones, it can be grown as an annual or brought indoors for the winter. Watch out for slugs and snails, which can be attracted to its lush foliage; organic slug baits or hand-picking can help manage these pests.

Size & Details

Your purchase includes one healthy Lobelia Cardinal Flower live plant provided as a well-rooted starter plug. These young plants typically arrive at a height of 1 to 3 inches, with a robust root system ready for transplanting. Once established in your garden, mature specimens of this scarlet Lobelia plant typically reach an impressive height of 2 to 4 feet and spread 1 to 2 feet wide, forming an upright clump of foliage topped with dramatic flower spikes. This plant exhibits a moderate growth rate, quickly filling out to create a significant presence in its first season with proper care. The vibrant scarlet blooms usually appear from mid-summer through early fall, providing a long-lasting display of color when many other plants are beginning to fade. Planting these plugs in spring or early summer allows them ample time to establish before their main flowering period. Its ability to attract hummingbirds and its striking appearance makes it a valuable addition to any garden, transforming it into a lively haven.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big will my Lobelia Cardinal Flower live plant get? A: Mature plants typically reach a height of 2-4 feet and a spread of 1-2 feet, forming an upright clump with tall flower spikes. Your starter plug will grow quickly to achieve this size.
• Q: What kind of soil is best for these plants? A: They thrive in rich, consistently moist, well-draining soil with high organic matter and a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. This is crucial for proper Lobelia cardinalis care.
• Q: How much sunlight does the cardinal flower need? A: This plant prefers full sun to partial shade. In hot climates, providing afternoon shade is beneficial to prevent leaf scorch and ensure the best performance.
• Q: How often should I water my Lobelia Cardinal Flower? A: Keep the soil consistently moist, especially during hot and dry periods. It prefers constantly damp conditions and is ideal for areas with natural moisture or near water features, making it one of the best wetland plants.
• Q: Can I grow this plant in a container? A: Yes, the scarlet Lobelia plant can be successfully grown in containers, provided the container is large enough to accommodate its mature size and has good drainage. Ensure consistent moisture.
• Q: Will this plant attract hummingbirds to my garden? A: Absolutely! The vibrant red, tubular flowers of the cardinal flower are highly attractive to hummingbirds, making it one of the best hummingbird attracting plants for your garden.
• Q: When is the best time to plant this Lobelia plug? A: The best time to plant is in spring after the last frost, or in early summer, allowing the plant ample time to establish its root system before its main blooming period.
• Q: What USDA zones is this plant hardy in? A: This Lobelia Cardinal Flower is hardy in USDA zones 6-10, meaning it can reliably overwinter outdoors in these regions. In colder zones, it is often grown as an annual.
• Q: What condition will my starter plug arrive in? A: Your Lobelia Cardinal Flower live plant will arrive as a healthy, well-rooted starter plug, typically 1-3 inches tall, carefully packaged to ensure it reaches you in optimal condition for planting.
• Q: Is this plant tolerant of heat? A: Yes, the ‘Starship’ series Lobelia varieties are known for their improved heat tolerance compared to older cardinal flower types, making them more resilient in warmer climates.