cardinal flower

(Lobelia cardinalis)

Conservation Status
cardinal flower
Photo by Alfredo Colon
  IUCN Red List

LC - Least Concern

     
  NatureServe

N5 - Secure

SNR - Unranked

     
  Minnesota

not listed

     
           
Wetland Indicator Status
     
  Great Plains

FACW - Facultative wetland

     
  Midwest

OBL - Obligate wetland

     
  Northcentral & Northeast

OBL - Obligate wetland

     
           
 
Description
 
 

The flowers are bright scarlet red. A rare plant with white flowers has been called Lobelia cardinalis f. alba.

 
     
 

Height

 
 

20 to 60

 
     
 

Flower Color

 
 

Bright red

 
     
 

Similar Species

 
  No similar species  
     
 
Habitat
 
 

Wet to moist. Riverbanks, lake shores, shallow wetlands, meadows, woodlands. Full to partial sun.

 
     
 
Ecology
 
 

Flowering

 
 

July to September

 
     
 

Pests and Diseases

 
 

 

 
     
 
Use
 
 

 

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Distribution Map

 

Sources

2, 3, 4, 5, 24, 28, 29, 30.

 
  3/22/2023      
         
 

Nativity

 
 

Native

 
         
 

Occurrence

 
 

Not common

 
         
 
Taxonomy
 
  Kingdom Plantae (green algae and land plants)  
  Subkingdom Viridiplantae (green plants)  
  Infrakingdom Streptophyta (land plants and green algae)  
  Superdivision Embryophyta (land plants)  
  Division Tracheophyta (vascular plants)  
  Subdivision Spermatophytina (seed plants)  
  Class Magnoliopsida (flowering plants)  
  Superorder Asteranae  
 

Order

Asterales (sunflowers, bellflowers, fanflowers, and allies)  
 

Family

Campanulaceae (bellflower)  
  Subfamily Lobelioideae (lobelia)  
 

Genus

Lobelia (lobelias)  
  Section Lobelia (typical lobelias)  
       
 

Subordinate Taxa

 
 

Two subspecies and at least seven varieties of Lobelia cardinalis have been described. However, recent morphological analysis does not support any of these divisions. Most authoritative sources currently do not recognize any subspecies or varieties.

 
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

Lobelia cardinalis ssp. cardinalis

Lobelia cardinalis ssp. cardinalis var. cardinalis

Lobelia cardinalis ssp. cardinalis var. meridionalis

Lobelia cardinalis ssp. graminea

Lobelia cardinalis ssp. graminea var. graminea

Lobelia cardinalis ssp. graminea var. phyllostachya

Lobelia cardinalis ssp. graminea var. propinqua

Lobelia cardinalis var. graminea

Lobelia cardinalis var. meridionalis

Lobelia cardinalis var. multiflora

Lobelia cardinalis var. phyllostachya

Lobelia cardinalis var. propinqua

Lobelia cardinalis var. pseudosplendens

Lobelia fulgens

Lobelia splendens

 
       
 

Common Names

 
 

cardinal flower

scarlet lobelia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
Visitor Photos
 
           
 

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Alfredo Colon

 
    cardinal flower      
 

Kirk Nelson

 
 

growing in the stream that flows out of O’Brien Lake at the portage landing.

  cardinal flower  
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
 

 

 
           

 

Camera

     
 
Slideshows
 
  Lobelia cardinalis (Cardinal-Flower)
Allen Chartier
 
  Lobelia cardinalis (Cardinal-Flower)  
  Plant portrait - Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis)
Identify that Plant
 
   
 
About

Published on Oct 16, 2014

A detailed look at the life cycle of Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis). These images can help to accurately identify the plant during different seasons of the year.

 

 

slideshow

       
 
Visitor Videos
 
       
 

Share your video of this plant.

 
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Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Attach a video, a YouTube link, or a cloud storage link.
 
 

 

 
     
     
       
       
 
Other Videos
 
  Cardinal Flower - Lobelia cardinalis on Mississippi River Wetland
Ionxchange
 
   
 
About

Uploaded on Sep 10, 2011

Earthyman views Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis) in bloom on Mississippi River Wetland in Wisconsin

   
  Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis)
Natural Gardens
 
   
 
About

Published on Nov 26, 2014

About Cardinal Flower. Feel free to ask any questions.

   
  Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis)
wvoutdoorman
 
   
 
About

Published on Aug 22, 2012

Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis)

   
  Female Ruby Throated Hummingbird + Cardinal Flower | Nature Shorts
Annissa Grows
 
   
 
About

Published on Aug 5, 2015

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Visitor Sightings
 
           
 

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  Alfredo Colon
8/31/2019

Location: Maplewood Nature Center

cardinal flower  
  Kirk Nelson
9/5/2016

Location: Lebanon Hills Regional Park

growing in the stream that flows out of O’Brien Lake at the portage landing.

cardinal flower  
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings
 
 

 

 

 

 

Binoculars


Created: 9/6/2016

Last Updated:

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