Lobelia cardinalis var. pseudosplendens

Cardinal flower

Family: Campanulaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Cardinal flower is a California native perennial found in southern California's Gabilan and Santa Ynez Mountains, Peninsular Ranges, and Panamint Mountains in stream bottoms at elevations of 450 to 1,600 meters. Flowering from August to October, this plant produces vibrant red flowers with a tubular corolla 15 to 20 millimeters long. Growing 4 to 2 meters tall with erect stems colored deep purple-red and up to 1.5 centimeters in diameter, it forms a striking vertical presence in riparian habitats. Its leaves are arranged along the tall stems, creating a dramatic backdrop for the intense red floral display. As a short-lived perennial, this cardinal flower brings a bold splash of color to moist mountain stream environments.

Habitat: Stream bottoms

Bloom period: Aug-Oct

Elevation: 450-1600 m

Bioregions: SnGb, SnBr, PR, DMtns (Panamint Range)

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.