Cardinal Flower

Every year I have the intention to learn more about the plants growing in my area, but then get distracted by the birds, herps, and insects moving around out there. But here's a wildflower that's distinctive enough and named appropriately enough that I can usually pick them out even from a distance: the Cardinal Flower.

Though they're supposed to be fairly common, I can't say that I see them a lot. That might be because they do best in damp areas with moist, rich soil, while I'm more likely to be found in drier fields and woods. I traditionally see a few of them at Duke Farms' Great Meadow, which can be damp after rain.

They (similar to the Northern Cardinal bird) are believed to have gotten their name from their red color that resembles the wardrobe of church cardinals. They are in the bellflower (aka bluebell) family of flowers. It's considered toxic, though like many potentially dangerous plants it has been used medicinally by Native Americans (presumably in low doses).

Their long, narrow, bell-shaped flowers make it less than ideal for some pollinators, but hummingbird tongues and butterfly proboscises can reach down and get nectar pretty effectively. They can apparently get up to 4 feet tall, though I suspect the ones I've seen were closer to half that height.


July 30, 2021 at Negri Nepote Native Grassland Preserve
Photo 149014000, (c) jpviolette, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)

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