Life Span
Annual
Annual
Type
Perennial
Vegetable
Origin
North America, Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, North-Central United States, South-Central United States, Canada
Central America, Mexico
Types
Herbaceous perennial
Slicing, Pickling and burpless
Number of Varieties
403
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Lakes, Pastures, Prairies, Roadsides, Swamps, Woodlands
Floodplains, Wet forest
USDA Hardiness Zone
3-97-8
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-1
12-1
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 14, 15, 16, 17
A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
61.00 cm15.20 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.40 cm180.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Crimson, Dark Red
Yellow, Gold
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Dark Green, Burgundy
Green, Dark Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Lanceolate
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Loam
Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Poorly Drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Divison, Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Keep ground moist, Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering, Requires watering in the growing season
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Poorly Drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Prune after flowering, Remove shoots
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Compost, organic fertlizers
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Bacteria wilt, Fungal Diseases, fungus, Fusarium wilt, Leaf spot, Striped cucumber beetles
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Cold climate
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies, Insects
Ants, Birds, Flying insects, Insects, Rats, Squirrels
Allergy
-
Throat itching, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Food for animals, Food for birds
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Headache, Rheumatism, Stomach pain
Antioxidants, Combats Stress, Fiber, Improve heart health, Indigestion, Inflammation, Rich in Iron
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves, Root
Fruits, Seeds
Other Uses
Medicinal oil, Showy Purposes
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bog Garden, Mixed Border, Water Gardens, Wildflower
Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Botanical Name
LOBELIA cardinalis
MELOTHRIA scabra
Common Name
Cardinal Flower
Mexican Sour Gherkins, cucamelon
In Hindi
Cardinal Flower
Mousemelon
In German
Cardinal Flower
Maus Melone
In French
Cardinal Flower
Mousemelon
In Spanish
Cardinal Flower
Mousemelon
In Greek
Καρδινάλιος λουλούδι
πεπόνι ποντίκι
In Portuguese
Cardinal Flower
melão rato
In Polish
Cardinal Flower
mysz melona
In Latin
Cardinalis Flower
mouse melon
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Asterales
Cucurbitales
Family
Lobeliaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Lobelia
Cucumis
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Melothrieae
Subfamily
Lobelioideae
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
5650
1
27800
👆🏻