Obedient Plant
Physostegia virginiana
Snapdragon-like pink spikes for late summer, beloved by bumblebees and hummingbirds.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Aug–Sep
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- Plant guide
- Cardinal Flower
Electric scarlet
Perennial wildflower
Cardinal Flower
Lobelia cardinalis
The most intense red in the native flora, built for the hummingbirds that pollinate it.
the Northeastthe Mid-Atlanticthe Southeastthe Midwestthe South-Central regionthe desert Southwest
Growing Cardinal Flower
Needs soil that stays moist — perfect for a rain garden or pond edge. Short-lived but reseeds where the ground stays damp and open. It’s showy.
Where it grows
Cardinal Flower is native to the Northeast. In the wild you’ll find it across Alabama · Arizona · Arkansas · California · Connecticut · Delaware · Florida · Georgia · Illinois · Indiana and 29 more states. Always confirm it suits your specific county with your state native plant society before planting.
Regional Garden shows Cardinal Flower on 39 state pages.
Good for
Sourcing
Where to buy Cardinal Flower
Seeds & live plants on Amazon
Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.
Browse on AmazonSome links here are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The surest source of locally-adapted stock is a native-plant nursery or a native plant society sale in your area.
Plant it with
Companions & kin.
Natives that share Cardinal Flower’s range and conditions.
Great Blue Lobelia
Lobelia siphilitica
Spikes of true blue for late summer shade and damp ground, worked hard by bumblebees.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Aug–Sep
Blue Vervain
Verbena hastata
Candelabras of tiny violet flowers for wet ground, working for small native bees all summer.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Buttonbush
Cephalanthus occidentalis
Spherical white 'pincushion' flowers over standing water, swarmed by butterflies and bees.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 5–10 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug