Cardinal-flowers kindle their spiral flames, and illuminate the dark nooks among the shrubbery.…Nathanial Hawthorne, The Old Manse
Anyone who’s ever taken a hike in midsummer woods anywhere in the east probably knows this stunning plant. Cardinal flowers bloom with tall spikes of lipstick red flowers in August in wet American woodlands all the way from Canada to Louisiana.
Queen Victoria at about 3 feet is a little shorter than the native, and the color is a little deeper velvety red. You’ll love these vivid flowers as much as the hummingbirds. Pick a moist spot in sun or partial shade for yours.
