Cardinal Flower ‘Starship^™ Scarlet Bronze

Lobelia speciosa ‘Starship^™ Scarlet Bronze Leaf’

Characteristics

Culture

Cardinal Flower ‘Starship™ Scarlet Bronze is best grown in rich, medium to wet soils in full sun to part shade. Needs constant moisture. Tolerates brief flooding. Thrives in bog gardens. Soils should never be allowed to dry out. Tolerates full sun in northern climates, but appreciates part afternoon shade in hot summer climates of the lower Midwest and South. Root mulch should be applied to Cardinal Flower ‘Starship™ Scarlet Bronze in cold winter climates to protect the root system and to prevent root heaving. Mulch will also help retain soil moisture.

Noteworthy Characteristics

Lobelia × speciosa is a hybrid designation. The bronzing on the green leaves perfectly complements the cardinal-red color of the blossoms. Hummingbirds and butterflies will be attracted to your garden by the tubular flowers that appear in its first year. Lobelia speciosa has a long, summer bloom period and the flowers are strikingly attractive.  Narrow-ovate leaves appear in a basal rosette in spring. Flower stems rise from the rosettes in July bearing showy, terminal, bracteate spikes of tubular flowers. Each flower has two lips, with the three lobes of the lower lip appearing more prominent than the two lobes of the upper lip.

Problems

No serious insect or disease problems. Snails and slugs may damage the foliage. Some hybrid lobelias have not performed well at the Kemper Center in St. Louis for reasons that at this point are unclear. L. x speciosa hybrids are often short-lived and are sometimes grown as annuals.

Garden Uses

Effective in moist areas of woodland/shade gardens, wet meadows or along streams or ponds. Water gardens. Rain garden. Also adds late summer bloom and height to borders as long as soils are kept uniformly moist. Good or mass plantings.