Lobelia cardinalis 'Queen Victoria', Cardinal flower, is a selected red-foliaged cultivar of Lobelia cardinalis, an American Lobelia which grows from Canada down to Columbia. Its purplish-red leaves are attractive enough but its tall spikes of vibrant scarlet flowers from late summer to autumn are a wonderful and exuberant display of exotic colour.

Lobelia cardinalis 'Queen Victoria' likes a fertile moist soil and full sun. Don't let it dry out in the summer and during flowering. Dead-heading once the flowers are spent will conserve its energy and it should be mulched in winter with several inches of bark.

Lobelia cardinalis 'Queen Victoria' is often planted en masse as a bedding plant. It is also often planted in the typical 'groups of three' planting arrangement that garden design schools like to promote to their new students. This is all ok... but... it just looks so much better as a single tall plant dotted among foliage plants where the bright red flowers harmonise with the jungle greens and provide such a vivid visual focus. Be different...