Life Span
Annual and Perennial
Annual
Type
Tender Perennial
Perennial
Origin
Brazil
North America, Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, North-Central United States, South-Central United States, Canada
Types
Yellow Bloodleaf, Herbst's Bloodleaf, Standley's Bloodleaf
Herbaceous perennial
Number of Varieties
7040
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
tropical environments
Lakes, Pastures, Prairies, Roadsides, Swamps, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
11-153-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
9-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 14, 15, 16, 17
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
15.24 cm61.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
20.32 cm25.40 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
Red, Crimson, Dark Red
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Red, Green, Purple
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Red, Green, Purple
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Red, Green, Purple
Purple, Dark Green, Burgundy
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval
Lanceolate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam
Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Poorly Drained
Bloom Time
-
Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Softwood cuttings, Stem Cutting, Tip cutting
Cuttings, Divison, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Medium
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Poorly Drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Cut or pinch the stems, Remove branches that rub together, Remove crossing or rubbing branches, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Balanced liquid fertilizer every 4 weeks
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
Flower Petal Number
-
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
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Insects, Wildlife
Butterflies, Insects
Allergy
Pollen
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Indoor Air Purification, Provides ground cover
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Headache, Rheumatism, Stomach pain
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Flowers, Leaves, Root
Other Uses
Showy Purposes
Medicinal oil, Showy Purposes
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Mixed Border
Bog Garden, Mixed Border, Water Gardens, Wildflower
Botanical Name
IRESINE herbstii
LOBELIA cardinalis
Common Name
Bloodleaf, Herbst's bloodleaf
Cardinal Flower
In Hindi
Bloodleaf Plant
Cardinal Flower
In German
Bloodleaf Pflanze
Cardinal Flower
In French
Feuillesang Plante
Cardinal Flower
In Spanish
Planta Sangrienta
Cardinal Flower
In Greek
Bloodleaf φυτών
Καρδινάλιος λουλούδι
In Portuguese
Bloodleaf Planta
Cardinal Flower
In Polish
Bloodleaf roślin
Cardinal Flower
In Latin
Planta Bloodleaf
Cardinalis Flower
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Asterales
Family
Amaranthaceae
Lobeliaceae
Genus
Iresine
Lobelia
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Gomphreneae
-
Subfamily
Gomphrenoideae
Lobelioideae
Number of Species
7056
1
27800
👆🏻