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Great Blue Lobelia (also called Blue Cardinal Flower) is a tough, hardy perennial with large leaves and gorgeous, light blue blooms. An easy to grow native that will thrive in a partly sunny, moist spot in your garden, this Lobelia will spread and multiply when given the chance. Blooms appear late in the season and provide important nectar to bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. Deer and rabbit resistant. (Lobelia siphilitica)
To determine if a plant is sufficiently cold hardy, the USDA created numbered zones indicating winter low
temperatures; the lower the zone number the colder the winter.
If the coldest winter temperature expected in your area is -15°F (zone 5) then any plants rated zones 3-5 will
survive the winter temperatures in your area.
If you live in very warm winter areas (zones 9-11) plants with zones 3-4 ratings are not recommended. The lack
of freezing winter temperatures do not provide a time for winter dormancy (rest).
Blue Cardinal Flower is actually quite different in growth from its wildflower counterpart. It is a tougher, heftier plant with somewhat coarse, larger leaves, and the flowers appear in the leaf axils, unlike its elegant cousins red flowers that are in leaf-free flower spikes, held high above the plant. But the blue flowers are lovely and plentiful. Best of all, this plant is not as picky as to growing conditions. It is perfectly happy in any perennial garden with half sun to part shade. And it is simple to propagate. Let some of the flower heads go to seed in the fall, and you'll have a dozen new plants coming up next spring.
Blue cardinal flower makes a great background for smaller wildflowers, since several together form a wonderful screen-like clump of towering plants with blue flowers for a long period.
Oh, and the name. The botanical species name, syphilitica, comes from the Native American belief that this plant was a cure for syphillis.
More Information
Associated SKUs
AM016140 AM014076 (Bag of 3) - Out of stock. AM014077 (Plant - 3" Pot)
Common Name
Blue Cardinal Flower
Botanical Name
Lobelia siphilitica Great Blue
Zones
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Light Requirements
Full Sun, Half Sun / Half Shade, Full Shade
Flower Color
Blue
Mature Height
24-36" tall.
Mature Spread
10-18" wide.
Growth Rate
Medium
Bloom Time
Mid to late summer
Planting Depth
Plant 1" deep.
Foliage
Upright stiff green leafy stalks with finely toothed lance shaped leaves.
Soil Type
Loamy Soil, Clay Soil, Well-Drained Soil
Soil Moisture
Average, Moist / Wet
Tolerates
Wet Sites
Advantages
Bee Friendly, Attract Butterflies, Attract Hummingbirds, Attract Birds, Native, Multiplies / Naturalizes, Easy To Grow, Good For Cut Flowers, Deer Resistant, Rabbit Resistant
Additional Information
Plant near ponds, bogs or well draining wet areas.
As soon as your order is placed you will receive a confirmation email. You will receive a second email the day your order ships telling you how it has been sent. Some perennials are shipped as potted plants, some as perennial roots packed in peat. The ‘Plant Information’ section describes how that item will ship. All perennials and spring-planted bulbs are packaged to withstand shipping and are fully-guaranteed. Please open upon receipt and follow the instructions included.
Perennials and spring-planted bulbs are shipped at the proper planting time for your hardiness zone. Perennial and spring-planted bulb orders will arrive separately from seeds. If your order requires more than one shipment and all items are shipping to the same address, there is no additional shipping charge. See our shipping information page for approximate ship dates and more detailed information. If you have any questions, please call Customer Service toll-free at (877) 309-7333 or contact us by email.
Shipping Rates
Our shipping rates are calculated based on our actual average shipping costs. We do not seek to profit from shipping fees, so rest assured that our shipping rates reflect an average of what it costs to get our guaranteed products safely to your door.
US Shipping Charges
Merchandise Total
Shipping Charges
Up to $4.99
$8.89
$5 to $399.99
$8.89 + 6% Merchandise Total
$400 and Over
8% Merchandise Total
Canadian Shipping Charges
Merchandise
Shipping Charges
Up to $24.99
$14.95
$25 to $49.99
$19.95
$50 to $74.99
$24.95
$75 to $99.99
$29.95
$100 and Over
$39.95
If your order requires more than one shipment and all items are shipping to the same address, there is no additional shipping charge. If you have any questions, please call us at (877) 309-7333.
 is a tough, hardy perennial with large leaves and gorgeous, light blue blooms. An easy to grow native that will thrive in a partly sunny, moist spot in your garden, this Lobelia will spread and multiply when given the chance. Blooms appear late in the season and provide important nectar to bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. Deer and rabbit resistant. (Lobelia siphilitica))
