Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis)
Cardinal flower is a native wildflower that thrives in wet sites. Its tall, red spikes of late summer flowers attract hummingbirds and butterflies. Individual plants are not long-lived, but this species will spread by seed and maintain its presence in in your garden.
Natural habitat: Wetlands, meadows
Light requirements: Sun to part shade
Soil requirements: Moist to wet
USDA hardiness: Zones 3-9
Height: 2′-4′
Spacing: 1′-2′
Wildlife value: Hummingbirds, butterflies
Deer resistance: Not preferred
Rabbit resistance: Resistant
Germination requirements
60 CMS; requires light to germinate
Cardinal flower seeds require 60 days of cold moist stratification (abbreviated CMS in many reference guides). Stratification is the process of pre-treating seeds to mimic their natural cycles in an artificial setting.
Cold moist stratification can be achieved by sowing the seeds in your planting medium, gently watering them in, and setting them outside for a minimum of 60 days of temperatures consistently below 40 degrees. They will germinate when the soil warms up in spring. Alternatively, you can mix the seeds with a small amount of moist (not wet) sand, perlite, or vermiculite in a plastic baggie and place it in a refrigerator for 60 days. After chilling the seeds for 60 days, sow them by spreading out the contents of the baggie on the surface of your medium and gently watering them in.
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