Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Perennial
Tender Perennial
Origin
North America, Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, North-Central United States, South-Central United States, Canada
Southern Africa
Types
Herbaceous perennial
Perennial
Number of Varieties
4050
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Lakes, Pastures, Prairies, Roadsides, Swamps, Woodlands
Desert, Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Temperate Regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
3-98-10
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-1
10-8
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 14, 15, 16, 17
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
61.00 cm61.30 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.40 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Crimson, Dark Red
Yellow, Light Yellow, Brown
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
Green, Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Dark Green, Burgundy
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Lanceolate
Grass like
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Medium
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Poorly Drained
Average
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Divison, Seedlings
Rhizome division, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Requires regular watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Poorly Drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Any balanced general purpose fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Nematodes, Scale
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies, Insects
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
-
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Ethnobotanic
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Headache, Rheumatism, Stomach pain
-
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves, Root
Root
Other Uses
Medicinal oil, Showy Purposes
Roots were worn to protect and strengthen the wearer, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bog Garden, Mixed Border, Water Gardens, Wildflower
Bog Garden, Container, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Tropical, Water Gardens
Botanical Name
LOBELIA cardinalis
DIETES bicolor
Common Name
Cardinal Flower
African iris, Fortnight lily
In Hindi
Cardinal Flower
African Iris
In German
Cardinal Flower
Afrikanische Iris
In French
Cardinal Flower
African Iris
In Spanish
Cardinal Flower
Iris africano
In Greek
Καρδινάλιος λουλούδι
Αφρικανική Iris
In Portuguese
Cardinal Flower
Iris africano
In Polish
Cardinal Flower
Afryki Iris
In Latin
Cardinalis Flower
African Iris
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Asterales
Asparagales
Family
Lobeliaceae
Iridaceae
Genus
Lobelia
Dietes
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
-
Irideae
Subfamily
Lobelioideae
Iridoideae
Number of Species
56300
1
27800
👆🏻