SPECIES: Lobelia Cardinalis

SIZE: 3-6 feet tall.

EXPOSURE: Sun or shade

LEAVES: Alternate, insignificant

SIMILAR SPECIES: L. siphilitica, Big Blue sometimes called blue cardinal flower, with bright blue flowers. Liked by wildlife; not as heat tolerant as red cardinal flower.

FLOWERS: Showy, bright red favored by hummingbirds and butterflies. One bloom per stalk; cluster for mass appeal.

CULTURE: Grows tall in shaded, rich, moist soil but tolerates sun.

USES: Borders, wild gardens, edgings, bogs.

PRUNING: To encourage branching, cut back to 2 feet in early summer.

PROPAGATION: Flowers not long-lived. Will self-seed; transplant seedings in early spring or fall. Also, division rootings.

PROTECTION: Mulch year-round.