Cardinal Flower, Lobelia cardinalis L., Native Minnesota Wildflower plant, Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden

Lobelias have a tubular shape splitting into 2-lipped flowers with a 2-lobed upper lip and a 3-lobed lower lip. The brilliant scarlet Cardinal Flower has the flowers on a tall spike above lance shaped alternate leaves that are toothed; the upper leaves with very fine teeth and stalkless while the lower leaves have more noticeable teeth and a short leaf stalk. It can grow 2 to 5 feet in height. The red flowers are 5-parted about 1-1/2" long. The flower spike (a raceme) can be up to 16" long. At maturity seeds form in a 2-celled capsule, that opens at the top. Many small seeds are in the capsules. Seeds collected in the fall can be planted immediately. They do not require cold stratification, but do require light. Separating and planting the basal rosettes of mature plants will also produce new plants. These rosettes are connected to the rhizomes of the plant and the separation can be done in fall or spring. Stem cuttings can also be propagated. All together, a versatile plant to grow. It grows in moist areas and near stream banks and is found along the small streams in the bog area of the Woodland Garden. The genus Lobelia is named after the Flemish botanist Matthias de l'Obel (1538-1616), who, when he moved to England as physician to James I, anglicized his name to Matthew Lobel, hence "lobelia."

	Plants of the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden
	Common Name	Scientific Name	Plant Family	Garden Location	Prime Season
	Cardinal Flower	Lobelia cardinalis L.	Bellflower (Campanulaceae)	Woodland	Late Summer to Autumn
Other names and notes	Lobelias have a tubular shape splitting into 2-lipped flowers with a 2-lobed upper lip and a 3-lobed lower lip. The brilliant scarlet Cardinal Flower has the flowers on a tall spike above lance shaped alternate leaves that are toothed; the upper leaves with very fine teeth and stalkless while the lower leaves have more noticeable teeth and a short leaf stalk. It can grow 2 to 5 feet in height. The red flowers are 5-parted about 1-1/2" long. The flower spike (a raceme) can be up to 16" long. At maturity seeds form in a 2-celled capsule, that opens at the top. Many small seeds are in the capsules. Seeds collected in the fall can be planted immediately. They do not require cold stratification, but do require light. Separating and planting the basal rosettes of mature plants will also produce new plants. These rosettes are connected to the rhizomes of the plant and the separation can be done in fall or spring. Stem cuttings can also be propagated. All together, a versatile plant to grow. It grows in moist areas and near stream banks and is found along the small streams in the bog area of the Woodland Garden. The genus Lobelia is named after the Flemish botanist Matthias de l'Obel (1538-1616), who, when he moved to England as physician to James I, anglicized his name to Matthew Lobel, hence "lobelia."