Cardinal Flower (2024)

FAQs

What does a cardinal flower symbolize? ›

Legend has it that the scarlet-red flower was named for the red robes worn by cardinals in the Catholic Church. Although native to North America, it's been cultivated in Europe since the 1600s for its lovely flower. One legend claims that touching the root of this plant will bring love to the lives of elderly women!

The mashed roots, stems, leaves, and blossoms were made into a decoction and drank for cramps. The plant was also used as an emetic for an upset stomach from eating something bad. The plant was added to other medicines to give them more strength. The Delaware used an infusion of the roots to treat typhoid.

In most regions, cardinal flower requires no special preparation or protection. Do not cut stalks in the fall--wait until spring.

The blossoms are delicate, gradually opening from bottom to top on two to four foot spikes. Five petals are united into a two-lipped corolla. The lower lip has three very prominent lobes; the upper lip has two small ones.

Cardinal flowers attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. Although it has been used for medicinal purposes, the cardinal flower is potentially toxic to humans and other mammals. The Iroquois had many medicinal uses for cardinal flower. They boiled the roots with chicory root and used the liquid to treat fever.

Cardinal sightings have a multitude of meanings such as being a sign of hope, wisdom or blessings, or that they are angels with a divine message for you. According to Doolittle, Cardinals are a symbol of change. "It can mean a huge shift coming in your life which can sometimes be viewed as an ending," she explains.

Although relatively common, overpicking this handsome wildflower has resulted in its scarcity in some areas. Since most insects find it difficult to navigate the long tubular flowers, Cardinal Flower depends on hummingbirds, which feed on the nectar, for pollination.

Lobelia cardinalis, the cardinal flower (syn. L. fulgens), is a species of flowering plant in the bellflower family Campanulaceae native to the Americas, from southeastern Canada south through the eastern and southwestern United States, Mexico and Central America to northern Colombia.

Cardinal flowers grow best in moist, rich, light, slightly acid soil, but can survive in other habitats as long as they are kept moist. They need some protection from midday or afternoon sun, and thus tend to do well at a wood's edge or at the base of a tree.

Cardinal Flower does not spread through its root system, which is a fibrous clump. It will self-seed, which is usually welcome with this plant. Good soil moisture and open (bare) soil are important for natural seed germination.

Does cardinal flower grow back every year? ›

Once established in your garden, Cardinal flower will self-sow and come up for years. Lobelia is perennial, but is considered a short-lived plant, so natural reseeding is important to keep the population healthy and abundant. It grows well in any garden if it does not dry out.

Tall spikes of brilliant red, trumpet-shaped flowers rise above the dark green foliage. Growing cardinal flowers bloom during summer and sometimes into fall.

Divide clumps of cardinal flowers in fall every two or three years. Make sure each division has plenty of top growth and roots. Plants left growing in the same location for more than three years tend to die out. Spread organic mulch around the plants in late fall or winter for protection from freezing in winter.

Space the plants 8 to 12 inches apart. Add plenty of peat moss when planting and mulch well to keep the soil cool and moist. Protect the plants from deer. Cardinal flower will take two years to bloom, forming a large rosette the first year.

As people have filled or drained North America's wetlands, first for agriculture and then for development, the cardinal flower's habitat has been disappearing. And so, too, has the cardinal flower, although it is not yet endangered in most states.

This majestic bird is also the center of many beliefs. Many people believe the sighting of a cardinal can be a sign of good luck, loyalty, or even a spiritual message. Native American lore states if a cardinal is seen, it is believed that individual will have good luck within 12 days of the sighting.

Symbolically, according to the Cherokee Indians, a cardinal is the sun's daughter. Seeing a cardinal means that the sun will smile upon them with light, meaning you will have good luck. Cardinals are also said to symbolize a deceased loved one coming to visit you.

Lobelia - arrogance, malevolence.