Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Shrub
Herbs
Origin
United States, Southeastern United States, South-Central United States, Texas, Mexico
Europe
Types
-
-
Number of Varieties
215
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Cultivated Beds
Pastures, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-11-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
11-7
-
Sunset Zone
H1, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
A2, 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
Upright/Erect
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
90.00 cm45.70 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Magenta, Orange Red
Blue
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown, Red
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Blue Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Blue Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Blue Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Arrowhead
Oval
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
Keep ground moist
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, Sand
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well 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 regularly, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
Apply 10-10-10 amount
fertilize in growing season
Pests and Diseases
-
Japanese Beetles
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Showy
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Hummingbirds
Bees
Allergy
Toxic
belching, bloating, Diarrhea, Digestive Problems, gas, gastro-intestinal problems, Headache, Nausea
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Borders
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antiemetic, Diuretic, Purgative, Tonic
Demulcent, Diuretic, Emollient, Fever, Kidney problems, Pulmonary afflictions
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Flowers, Leaves, Seeds
Other Uses
Used as a general tonic, Used as a rat poison, Used as a vegetable
Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall, Wildflower
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
ERYTHRINA herbacea
BORAGO officinalis
Common Name
Red cardinal, Cardinal spear
Borage, starflower
In Hindi
Red Cardinal
Borage
In German
Red Cardinal
Borretsch
In French
Cardinal rouge
Bourrache
In Spanish
Cárdenas
borraja
In Greek
κόκκινο Καρδινάλιος
Borage
In Portuguese
Cardeal vermelho
Borragem
In Polish
Red Cardinal
Ogórecznik
In Latin
Cardinalis Rubrum
borage
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fabales
Lamiales
Family
Fabaceae
Boraginaceae
Genus
Erythrina
Borago
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Phaseoleae
-
Subfamily
Faboideae
-
Number of Species
10150
1
27800
👆🏻