28/03/2023
CARDINAL FLOWER
-Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis) is a native plant of North, South, and Central America, normally found in moist areas such as streams, swamps, and low wooded areas. It is a clump-forming perennial with lance-shaped dark green leaves that form basal clumps and tall flower stalks that hold clusters of tubular flowers from July into early fall. The native species has scarlet red flowers, but there are also cultivars with white and rose-pink flowers. These are all excellent landscape plants for garden areas with moist soil.
Cardinal flower is normally planted from potted nursery starts in the spring, or by seeds sown in fall. It is a fairly fast-growing plant that usually flowers in its first year. Individual plants are short-lived, but cardinal flower perpetuates itself constantly by self-seeding and sending out offshoots that quickly colonize an area.
HOW TO CARE?
Cardinal flowers are easy to grow in any moist area that receives full or partial sunlight. Because the cardinal flower is naturally found in wet areas, keeping the soil evenly moist is key to its health. Individual plants rarely last more than a few years, but colonies can continue on for many years through offsets and self-seeding. Allowing your cardinal flowers to reseed themselves is ideal. This ensures that they will continue to come back every year, full and beautiful. Dividing your plants every two to three years will also help prolong life and create more plants.
Cardinal flower is uniquely free of common pests and diseases, but the basal foliage is sometimes targeted by snails and slugs.
Light
In colder areas, cardinal flowers appreciate full sunshine. In hotter climates, it will do best with afternoon shade to provide shelter from the intense heat.
Soil
The cardinal flower loves rich, moist-to-wet soil that often causes other plants to collapse with rot, but it struggles in dry, barren soils. To help retain soil moisture, try adding a layer of mulch around your plants. Amending soil with heavy amounts of compost can also improve soil moisture levels.
Water
This plant appreciates plenty of water. Cardinal flower can even tolerate prolonged seasonal flooding. Be sure to maintain a consistent watering schedule that keeps the soil evenly moist. Heavy twice-a-week watering may be necessary during hot months if no rain is falling.
Temperature and Humidity
Cardinal flower can routinely handle the wide range of temperatures across USDA zones 3 to 9. It is known to survive down to minus 34 degrees Fahrenheit, and some zone 2 gardeners have grown it successfully. The named cultivars and hybrids, however, may be somewhat less cold-hardy than the native species plant.
Since cardinal flowers love moisture, higher humidity levels are ideal; these plants aren't well suited for arid climates.
Fertilizer
Cardinal flowers generally do not require fertilizer throughout the year. Adding compost and organic material in the late winter or early spring will provide the necessary nutrients for the growing season ahead. This one-time application is generally sufficient for healthy growth.
Pruning
You may want to remove spent flower spikes to keep your plant looking clean and to encourage further blooming. Just keep in mind that this may not allow the plant to self-seed, which could impact next year's colony.
If you find your plant getting a bit unruly during its growing season, feel free to trim it back to help maintain a bushier, less leggy look.
Propagating Cardinal Flowers
Cardinal flowers can be propagated by seed, division, or by transplanting young plants that develop around the mature plant. Here's how to propagate by division:
In the fall, carefully dig up entire colony.
Divide the root clumps into individual sections, each containing a healthy network of roots and a piece of the crown.
Plant each division in the desired location. If re-establishing a colony, plant the pieces about 1 foot apart.
If you would like to remove young volunteer plants that have formed around your mature plant by self-seeding, simply dig them up in the fall and place them wherever you like.
How to Grow Cardinal Flowers From Seed?
To propagate by seed, you have a couple of options. These plants easily self-seed, so you can simply leave the seed pods on the plant and allow them to fall naturally. Another option is to collect the seeds, sowing them around the plant when they are ripe If you would like to collect seeds to start indoors, here’s how:
Once the seeds pods begin to open, pick them off the plant and collect the seeds. They can be replanted immediately in the garden, if you so choose, or stored in the refrigerator to plant in the spring.
If you plan to start seeds indoors. give them several weeks in the refrigerator to provide the necessary cold stratification. Fill a container with moistened potting mix, sow the seeds on top of the mix, as they need light to germinate, water with a spray bottle, cover the container, and place in the refrigerator. Do not allow the seeds to dry out. Remove from refrigerator in later winter, and place in warm spot inside under lights.
Place the pots in a bright location at about 70 degrees Fahrenheit, Keep the soil moist as the seedlings sprout and develop. Move the pots into direct sunlight to continue growing.
When the seedlings have two sets of true leaves, pot them up into a larger container filled with potting soil.
After the last threat of frost, harden off the seedlings in the garden for about 10 days.
Once the seedlings have been hardened off, you can plant them in the garden.
Potting and Repotting Cardinal Flower
Cardinal flower is not a common choice for planting in pots and other containers, but it can be done. Use a large, well-draining pot filled with ordinary commercial potting mix. These moisture-loving plants will require frequent watering when grown in containers.
These are not plants that can be moved indoors to grow as houseplants for the winter. Instead, move the potted plants to a sheltered location out of the wind for the winter months.
