How to care for a cardinal flower? - Ask Extension
I planted a small cardinal flower plant this Spring and it is finished blooming. It is a bit leggy. I am not sure how to best care for it until next...
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How to care for a cardinal flower? #365827
Asked September 26, 2016, 11:14 AM EDT
I planted a small cardinal flower plant this Spring and it is finished blooming. It is a bit leggy. I am not sure how to best care for it until next year, should I cut it back to the ground or leave it alone? Thank you!
Baltimore County Maryland
Expert Response
Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis) is often a short-lived perennial.
In our area it can be tricky to get the plants through the winter. Because of our fluctuating winter temperatures, a mulch cover can lead to rot.
You can dead head the flower spikes, but allow a couple to produce seeds and drop on soil so you will have some seedlings next year. Also if you have a new rosette from this parent plant, early autumn (now) is the best time to separate it and replant it in a new area if you want.
For a tidier plant (next season) some people pinch the plants back a couple of times before flowering. The flowering will be a bit delayed and smaller, but there will be more of them and the plant will be more compact.
cm
In our area it can be tricky to get the plants through the winter. Because of our fluctuating winter temperatures, a mulch cover can lead to rot.
You can dead head the flower spikes, but allow a couple to produce seeds and drop on soil so you will have some seedlings next year. Also if you have a new rosette from this parent plant, early autumn (now) is the best time to separate it and replant it in a new area if you want.
For a tidier plant (next season) some people pinch the plants back a couple of times before flowering. The flowering will be a bit delayed and smaller, but there will be more of them and the plant will be more compact.
cm
