Lobelia cardinalis (Cardinal Flower)
Cardinal Flower, Water Gladiole, Red Bay, Scarlet Lobelia, Slinkweed, Bog Sage, Hog's Physic, Indian Pink, Lobelia fulgens, Lobelia splendens

Lobelia cardinalis (Cardinal Flower), a top performer ideal for the late summer garden, is a well-known tall, clump-forming perennial with an abundance of flower spikes densely packed with vivid, cardinal red, two-lipped blooms, measuring 2 in. long (5 cm), from midsummer to early fall. This architectural plant offers vertical flair to the environment by growing on upright, alternate-leaved stalks that rise above a rosette of lance-shaped, glossy brilliant green leaves. Cardinal Flower tends to be short-lived despite being extremely hardy, low maintenance, and largely pest and disease-free, yet it may self-seed in optimum growth conditions (without becoming invasive)!