{"product_id":"cardinal-flower-lobelia-cardinalis","title":"Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis)","description":"\u003ch2\u003eCardinal Flower \u003cem\u003e(Lobelia cardinalis)\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eCardinal Flower is the most intensely red wildflower in North America — a saturated, burning scarlet that seems almost artificial in its brilliance, rising on tall spikes above the bayou's edge in late summer. It is the ruby-throated hummingbird's favorite flower, and the relationship between the two is one of the most perfectly co-evolved partnerships in the natural world: the flower's tubular shape, red color, and lack of landing platform are all specifically adapted to exclude bees and welcome hummingbirds.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eBotanical Profile\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFamily:\u003c\/strong\u003e Campanulaceae (Bellflower family)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNative Range:\u003c\/strong\u003e Eastern North America from New Brunswick to Florida and west to the Rocky Mountains; native to Louisiana's stream banks, bayou edges, and moist woodland margins\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eUSDA Hardiness Zones:\u003c\/strong\u003e 3–9\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMature Size:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2–4 feet tall\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBloom Time:\u003c\/strong\u003e July–September\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSun:\u003c\/strong\u003e Full sun to part shade\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSoil:\u003c\/strong\u003e Moist to wet; tolerates clay and periodic flooding; thrives along bayou edges and in rain gardens\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch3\u003eEcological Role\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eCardinal Flower is the premier native plant for ruby-throated hummingbirds in the Eastern U.S. — its red tubular flowers producing abundant nectar accessible only to long-billed hummingbirds and sphinx moths. It is a critical refueling stop for hummingbirds during their fall migration through Louisiana. Its seeds are consumed by American Goldfinches. It is a short-lived perennial that self-seeds freely, maintaining colonies along moist garden edges for years without replanting.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eCultural Heritage\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eCardinal Flower's extraordinary red color made it one of the most celebrated wildflowers in both Indigenous and European botanical traditions. The Cherokee used it medicinally for typhoid fever and as a love charm. Cajun and Creole gardeners prized it as a hummingbird plant, planting it near the gallery where the hummingbirds' visits could be enjoyed from the porch.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eIn the Living Canopy \u0026amp; Understory\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003ePart of the \u003cem\u003eJardin — The Living Canopy \u0026amp; Understory\u003c\/em\u003e collection at Big Mamou Enterprises, Cardinal Flower is the bayou garden's most brilliant hummingbird beacon — scarlet, saturated, and perfectly designed to call the hummingbirds home.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Big Mamou Enterprises","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49766092964080,"sku":null,"price":3.25,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0824\/7171\/5056\/files\/image_56669324-ea1e-418b-b01a-3b15a9ffb6b3.png?v=1779811922","url":"https:\/\/realtimecajun.com\/products\/cardinal-flower-lobelia-cardinalis","provider":"Big Mamou Enterprises","version":"1.0","type":"link"}