Lobelia cardinalis
Cardinal Flower
CAMPANULACEAE
The cardinal flower is pollinated mostly by hummingbirds because they can navigate the long tubular flowers better than most insects. From July through September this wildflower has beautiful bright red flowers from Florida to Texas to Minnesota north to Southern Ontario and Quebec and New Brunswick. (Zones 3-9)
The stem grows to nine feet, racemes to 14 inches and five lobed flowers a little less than two inches. This is a short-lived flower that grows best in marshes, meadows, lakeshores, stream beds and low, open woods. It is semi-aquatic, growing best in damp sites.
There are cultivars that you can purchase that have different colored flowers.
