Blue Cardinal Flower (Lobelia siphilitica)
[lo-BEE-lee-ah sif-il-IT-ih-kah]

Deciduous Perennial in the Campanulaceae Family
 

Great Blue Lobelia, a herbaceous perennial, is usually unbranched but may exhibit some branching. The erect, 3-4 ft., stems produce lavender-blue, tubular flowers crowded together on the upper stem. Showy, bright blue flowers are in the axils of leafy bracts and form an elongated cluster on a leafy stem. Each flower is split into two lips - the upper lip has two segments and the lower lip has three. Blue flowers first mature in mid-summer and continue into early fall. The flowers are larger than other Lobelias and have stripes on the tube portion.

This plant provides late summer bloom to the perennial border, wild garden, native plant garden, woodland garden, or naturalized planting. It is also effective near ponds or streams.

 

 

Plant Data

Mature Size 24 - 36 inches tall. 12 - 18 inches wide.
Sun Exposure Partial Shade - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Medium - Wet: Plants tolerate sunny sites if sufficient moisture is present.
Zones 4a - 9b
Tags Attracts Birds, Attracts Butterflies, Attracts Hummingbirds, Attracts Pollinators, Attracts Wildlife, Colorful Foliage, Container, Deciduous, Deer Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Edging, Formal Garden, Fragrant Flowers, Full Sun, Good for Accents, Good for Borders, Good for Butterfly Garden, Good for Cottage Garden, Good for Cut Flowers, Good for Rain Garden, Good for Rock Garden, Illinois Native, Low Maintenance, Medium, Most Popular, Native to North America, Naturalizing, Normal Soil, Partial Shade, Partial Sun, Perennial, Pond, Popular For Fall, Rabbit Resistant, Showy Flowers, Tolerant of Clay Soil, Tolerant of Moist Soil, Tolerant of Sandy Soil, Well-Drained Soil, Wet, Wet Site Tolerant
Bloom Period July to October
Flower Color Blue
Animals That Use It

Flowers:

Nectar:

 

More Info from Experts

Commonly Planted with...

Asclepias incarnata, Anemone canadensis, Carex comosa, Chelone glabra, Eupatorium coelestinum or Osmunda cinnamomea.

Photos of This with...

Joe Pye Weed
 
Want More photos of this plant? Try Google Image Search!
 


Pricing and Availability History

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Limited Availability

We try very hard to source exactly what you’d like, but sometimes growers run out of plants! While this variety is a great deal at the price shown, we know that it has limited availability. If you want the plant even if it might be more expensive, or in a different size or quantity -- after you place your order, just send us a quick note at help@northshoreplantclub.com. Then, we’ll try to get you some version of this from one of our growers. And if we can’t get it from anywhere, of course, we’ll send a refund!


Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


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To secure the best prices for club members and make sure we know the current plants available from each nursery, we take orders only a couple of times a month.

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No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!