How Do You Grow Cardinal Flower (Lobelia Cardinalis)?
This native North American perennial (meaning it comes back year after year) brightens up the flower and shrub border with its scarlet flowers. It grows single stalks that are 3 to 4 feet high, with flowers appearing along the top half of the stem in summer and early autumn. Make sure the planting area does not dry out. Fertilize each spring with a light application of organic fertilizer. Cut back the old stems to the ground in fall or late winter using bypass pruners. Be careful of any new growth that shows. Buy cardinal flower at nurseries throughout the year in mild climates and in spring through summer in colder regions. Look for plants sold in 4-inch to 1-gallon containers. Choose plants that show active new growth in spring. Choose plants that are branched at the base; they will grow more than one flower stalk. Break up the tight roots, if they are pot-bound, with a hand cultivator – a tool that looks like a claw – before planting. Plant cardinal flower in full sun or, in hot are
