Blue Cardinal Flower Lobelia siphilitica
Other Common Name(s):
Other plants called Blue Cardinal Flower:
- Phonetic Spelling
- loh-BEE-lee-a sigh-fy-LY-tih-kuh
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
-
Great Blue Lobelia is a herbaceous perennial that may grow 3 to 4 feet tall. The leaves are alternate with a toothed margin. 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.
This plant was selected as the 1993 NC Wildflower of the Year, a program managed by the North Carolina Botanical Garden with some financial support from the Garden Club of North Carolina.
Fire Risk: This plant has a medium flammability rating.
Insects, Diseases, or Other Plant Problems: Snails and slugs may damage the foliage.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Pollinator Garden in Partial Shade
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Blue Selection'
- 'Blue Selection'
- 'Blue Selection'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Blue Selection'
- 'Blue Selection'
- 'Blue Selection'
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Lobelia
- Species:
- siphilitica
- Family:
- Campanulaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Eastern North America
- Fire Risk Rating:
- medium flammability
- Wildlife Value:
- Its flowers are attractive to hummingbirds and butterflies.
- Play Value:
- Wildlife Food Source
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- This plant has low resistance to damage from deer.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 3 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 1 ft. 6 in.
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-
Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Native Plant
- Poisonous
- Wildflower
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Maintenance:
- Low
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-
Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- High Organic Matter
- Soil Drainage:
- Moist
- Occasionally Wet
- NC Region:
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Description:
- Displays from August to November
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-
Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Blue
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Raceme
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Tubular
- Flower Description:
- Great lobelia is a clump-forming perennial which features an elongated cluster of light to dark blue, tubular, 2-lipped flowers with the three lobes of the lower lip appearing more prominent than the two lobes of the upper lip. The flowers arise from the upper leaf axils forming a dense terminal raceme atop stiff, unbranched, leafy stalks typically rising 2-3' tall. Its flowers are larger than other lobelias and have stripes on the tube portion. Blooms from July to October.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Leaf Margin:
- Dentate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Great lobelia has finely-toothed, lance-shaped, light green leaves (to 5" long). The alternate, stalkless leaves are 2 to 6 inches long.
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-
Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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-
Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Meadow
- Naturalized Area
- Riparian
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Rain Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Hummingbirds
- Pollinators
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Wet Soil
- Problems:
- Poisonous to Humans
-
-
Poisonous to Humans:
- Poison Severity:
- Low
- Poison Symptoms:
- Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, salivation, exhaustion and weakness, dilation of pupils, convulsions, and coma
- Poison Toxic Principle:
- Alkaloids lobelamine, lobeline, and others, plus a volatile oil
- Causes Contact Dermatitis:
- No
- Poison Part:
- Flowers
- Fruits
- Leaves
- Roots
- Sap/Juice
- Seeds
- Stems
