Photo by Jeffrey Dubinsky
Lobelia cardinalis, Cardinal Flower.
A most dramatic summer and fall wildflower, the cardinal’s common name is an homage to its deep red fringe that we call "petal," alluding to the red robes of Roman Catholic cardinals. This hummingbird and pollinator magnet moves about the world rather leisurely, yet is steadfast once established, returning each year with gusto in both full sun and partial shade. You can find cardinal flower in riparian spaces and other wet homes such as ditches, wet meadows, woodland, and pond edges. I have encountered these cascading blooms of whimsy gracing the banks of my creek, along the small waterways pouring into the Mississippi, and all the way to the magical clear rivers of far west Texas.
