Taxon: Lobelia cardinalis L.

Summary

Genus:

Lobelia

Family:

Campanulaceae

Subfamily:

Lobelioideae

Nomen number:

22456

Place of publication:

Sp. pl. 2:930. 1753

Typification:

View in Linnean Typification Project

Verified:

10/06/2011 ARS Systematic Botanists.

Accessions:

24 (20 active, 8 available) in National Plant Germplasm System. (Map it)

Other conspecific taxa

Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations

Autonym(s)
Lobelia cardinalis L. subsp. cardinalis

Heterotypic Synonym(s)
Lobelia cardinalis L. subsp. graminea (Lam.) McVaugh
Lobelia fulgens Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.
Lobelia graminea Lam.
Lobelia splendens Willd.

No images

Links

Forestry Images – from www.forestryimages.org

Conservation Status

Reference(s)

Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
Angely, J. A. 1970-. Flora analítica e fitográfica do Estado de São Paulo. Note: mentions
APHIS. Agricultural Risk Management System United States Department of Agriculture.
CONABIO. Comisión Nacional para el Conocimiento y Uso de la Biodiversidad en Mexico. Sistema Integrado de Información Taxonómica (SIIT) (on-line resource).
Correll, D. S. & M. C. Johnston. 1970. Manual of the vascular plants of Texas
Cronquist, A. et al. 1972-. Intermountain flora.
Encke, F. et al. 1984. Zander: Handwörterbuch der Pflanzennamen, 13. Auflage
Erhardt, W. et al. 2008. Der große Zander: Enzyklopädie der Pflanzennamen 1522.
Gleason, H. A. & A. Cronquist. 1963. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada.
Gleason, H. A. & A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada, ed. 2
Hickman, J. C., ed. 1993. The Jepson manual: higher plants of California
Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening
Kingsbury, J. M. 1964. Poisonous plants of the United States and Canada. Note: poisonous
Lammers, T. G. 1996. pers. comm. Note: re. common names
Lammers, T. G. 2007. World checklist and bibliography of Campanulaceae.
Lampe, K. F. & M. A. McCann. 1985. AMA handbook of poisonous and injurious plants Note: poisonous
Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
Magee, D. W. & H. E. Ahles. 1999. Flora of the Northeast. A manual of the vascular flora of New England and adjacent New York.
Martin, W. C. & C. R. Hutchins. 1980. A flora of New Mexico.
McGregor, R. L. et al. (The Great Plains Flora Association). 1977. Atlas of the Flora of the Great Plains.
McGuffin, M., J. T. Kartesz, A. Y. Leung, & A. O. Tucker. 2000. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2 American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, Maryland.
Munro, D. B. Canadian poisonous plants information system (on-line resource).
Ownbey, G. B. & T. Morley. 1991. Vascular plants of Minnesota: a checklist and atlas
Radford, A. E. et al. 1964. Manual of the vascular flora of the Carolinas.
Rzedowski, J. & G. Rzedowski, eds. 1991-. Flora del Bajio y de regiones adyacentes.
Scoggan, H. J. 1978-1979. The flora of Canada, 4 vol.
Standley, P. C. & J. A. Steyermark. 1946-1976. Flora of Guatemala.
Thompson, S. W. & T. G. Lammers. 1997. Phenetic analysis of morphological variation in the Lobelia cardinalis complex (Campanulaceae: Lobelioideae). Syst. Bot. 22:315-331. DOI: 10.2307/2419460 . www.aspt.net/systematic-botany
Vibrans, H., ed. Malezas de México (on-line resource).
Welsh, S. L. et al. 1993. A Utah flora.
Wiggins, I. L. 1980. Flora of Baja California.
Wimmer, F. 1953. Campanulaceae-Lobelioideae II. In: Engler, H. G. A., ed., Das Pflanzenreich. IV. 276b(Heft 107):411-415.
Woodson, R. E. & R. W. Schery, eds. 1943-1980. Flora of Panama.
Wunderlin, R. P. 1998. Guide to the vascular plants of Florida

Common names

Language	Name	seq	Citation
English	cardinal-flower	1	Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
English	scarlet lobelia	1	Erhardt, W. et al. 2008. Der große Zander: Enzyklopädie der Pflanzennamen 1522.
French	lobélie écarlate	2	Erhardt, W. et al. 2008. Der große Zander: Enzyklopädie der Pflanzennamen 1522.
German	Kardinals-Lobelie	2	Erhardt, W. et al. 2008. Der große Zander: Enzyklopädie der Pflanzennamen 1522.
Swedish	kardinallobelia	2	Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)

Distribution

order_code	Status	Continent	Subcontinent	Country	State	Note	Reference
1	Native	Northern America	Eastern Canada	Canada	New Brunswick	s.	Scoggan, H. J. 1978-1979. The flora of Canada, 4 vol.
1	Native	Northern America	Eastern Canada	Canada	Ontario	s.e.	Scoggan, H. J. 1978-1979. The flora of Canada, 4 vol.
1	Native	Northern America	Eastern Canada	Canada	Québec	s.	Scoggan, H. J. 1978-1979. The flora of Canada, 4 vol.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Illinois		Lammers, T. G. 2007. World checklist and bibliography of Campanulaceae.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Iowa		Lammers, T. G. 2007. World checklist and bibliography of Campanulaceae.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Kansas		McGregor, R. L. et al. (The Great Plains Flora Association). 1977. Atlas of the Flora of the Great Plains.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Minnesota		Ownbey, G. B. & T. Morley. 1991. Vascular plants of Minnesota: a checklist and atlas
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Missouri		Lammers, T. G. 2007. World checklist and bibliography of Campanulaceae.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Nebraska		McGregor, R. L. et al. (The Great Plains Flora Association). 1977. Atlas of the Flora of the Great Plains.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Oklahoma		McGregor, R. L. et al. (The Great Plains Flora Association). 1977. Atlas of the Flora of the Great Plains.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Wisconsin		Lammers, T. G. 2007. World checklist and bibliography of Campanulaceae.
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Connecticut		Magee, D. W. & H. E. Ahles. 1999. Flora of the Northeast. A manual of the vascular flora of New England and adjacent New York.
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Indiana		Lammers, T. G. 2007. World checklist and bibliography of Campanulaceae.
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Maine		Magee, D. W. & H. E. Ahles. 1999. Flora of the Northeast. A manual of the vascular flora of New England and adjacent New York.
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Massachusetts		Magee, D. W. & H. E. Ahles. 1999. Flora of the Northeast. A manual of the vascular flora of New England and adjacent New York.
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Michigan		Lammers, T. G. 2007. World checklist and bibliography of Campanulaceae.
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	New Hampshire		Magee, D. W. & H. E. Ahles. 1999. Flora of the Northeast. A manual of the vascular flora of New England and adjacent New York.
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	New Jersey		Lammers, T. G. 2007. World checklist and bibliography of Campanulaceae.
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	New York		Lammers, T. G. 2007. World checklist and bibliography of Campanulaceae.
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Ohio		Lammers, T. G. 2007. World checklist and bibliography of Campanulaceae.
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Pennsylvania		Lammers, T. G. 2007. World checklist and bibliography of Campanulaceae.
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Rhode Island		Magee, D. W. & H. E. Ahles. 1999. Flora of the Northeast. A manual of the vascular flora of New England and adjacent New York.
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Vermont		Magee, D. W. & H. E. Ahles. 1999. Flora of the Northeast. A manual of the vascular flora of New England and adjacent New York.
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	West Virginia		Lammers, T. G. 2007. World checklist and bibliography of Campanulaceae.
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Baja California (Norte)		Wiggins, I. L. 1980. Flora of Baja California.
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Chihuahua		Rzedowski, J. & G. Rzedowski, eds. 1991-. Flora del Bajio y de regiones adyacentes.
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Coahuila de Zaragoza		Rzedowski, J. & G. Rzedowski, eds. 1991-. Flora del Bajio y de regiones adyacentes.
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Durango		Rzedowski, J. & G. Rzedowski, eds. 1991-. Flora del Bajio y de regiones adyacentes.
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Nuevo León		Rzedowski, J. & G. Rzedowski, eds. 1991-. Flora del Bajio y de regiones adyacentes.
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	San Luis Potosí		Rzedowski, J. & G. Rzedowski, eds. 1991-. Flora del Bajio y de regiones adyacentes.
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Sonora		Rzedowski, J. & G. Rzedowski, eds. 1991-. Flora del Bajio y de regiones adyacentes.
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Tamaulipas		Rzedowski, J. & G. Rzedowski, eds. 1991-. Flora del Bajio y de regiones adyacentes.
1	Native	Northern America	Northwestern U.S.A.	United States	Colorado		Lammers, T. G. 2007. World checklist and bibliography of Campanulaceae.
1	Native	Northern America	South-Central U.S.A.	United States	New Mexico		Martin, W. C. & C. R. Hutchins. 1980. A flora of New Mexico.
1	Native	Northern America	South-Central U.S.A.	United States	Texas		Correll, D. S. & M. C. Johnston. 1970. Manual of the vascular plants of Texas
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Alabama		Lammers, T. G. 2007. World checklist and bibliography of Campanulaceae.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Arkansas		Lammers, T. G. 2007. World checklist and bibliography of Campanulaceae.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Delaware		Lammers, T. G. 2007. World checklist and bibliography of Campanulaceae.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Florida		Lammers, T. G. 2007. World checklist and bibliography of Campanulaceae.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Georgia		Lammers, T. G. 2007. World checklist and bibliography of Campanulaceae.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Kentucky		Lammers, T. G. 2007. World checklist and bibliography of Campanulaceae.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Louisiana		Lammers, T. G. 2007. World checklist and bibliography of Campanulaceae.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Maryland		Lammers, T. G. 2007. World checklist and bibliography of Campanulaceae.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Mississippi		Lammers, T. G. 2007. World checklist and bibliography of Campanulaceae.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	North Carolina		Radford, A. E. et al. 1964. Manual of the vascular flora of the Carolinas.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	South Carolina		Radford, A. E. et al. 1964. Manual of the vascular flora of the Carolinas.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Tennessee		Lammers, T. G. 2007. World checklist and bibliography of Campanulaceae.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Virginia		Lammers, T. G. 2007. World checklist and bibliography of Campanulaceae.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Chiapas		Rzedowski, J. & G. Rzedowski, eds. 1991-. Flora del Bajio y de regiones adyacentes.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Ciudad de México		Rzedowski, J. & G. Rzedowski, eds. 1991-. Flora del Bajio y de regiones adyacentes.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Guanajuato		Rzedowski, J. & G. Rzedowski, eds. 1991-. Flora del Bajio y de regiones adyacentes.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Guerrero		Rzedowski, J. & G. Rzedowski, eds. 1991-. Flora del Bajio y de regiones adyacentes.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Hidalgo		Rzedowski, J. & G. Rzedowski, eds. 1991-. Flora del Bajio y de regiones adyacentes.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Jalisco		Rzedowski, J. & G. Rzedowski, eds. 1991-. Flora del Bajio y de regiones adyacentes.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	México		Rzedowski, J. & G. Rzedowski, eds. 1991-. Flora del Bajio y de regiones adyacentes.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Michoacán de Ocampo		Rzedowski, J. & G. Rzedowski, eds. 1991-. Flora del Bajio y de regiones adyacentes.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Morelos		Rzedowski, J. & G. Rzedowski, eds. 1991-. Flora del Bajio y de regiones adyacentes.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Oaxaca		Rzedowski, J. & G. Rzedowski, eds. 1991-. Flora del Bajio y de regiones adyacentes.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Puebla		Rzedowski, J. & G. Rzedowski, eds. 1991-. Flora del Bajio y de regiones adyacentes.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Querétaro		Rzedowski, J. & G. Rzedowski, eds. 1991-. Flora del Bajio y de regiones adyacentes.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Tabasco		Rzedowski, J. & G. Rzedowski, eds. 1991-. Flora del Bajio y de regiones adyacentes.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave		Rzedowski, J. & G. Rzedowski, eds. 1991-. Flora del Bajio y de regiones adyacentes.
1	Native	Northern America	Southwestern U.S.A.	United States	Arizona		Lammers, T. G. 2007. World checklist and bibliography of Campanulaceae.
1	Native	Northern America	Southwestern U.S.A.	United States	California		Hickman, J. C., ed. 1993. The Jepson manual: higher plants of California
1	Native	Northern America	Southwestern U.S.A.	United States	Nevada		Cronquist, A. et al. 1972-. Intermountain flora.
1	Native	Northern America	Southwestern U.S.A.	United States	Utah		Welsh, S. L. et al. 1993. A Utah flora.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Belize			Lammers, T. G. 2007. World checklist and bibliography of Campanulaceae.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Costa Rica			Lammers, T. G. 2007. World checklist and bibliography of Campanulaceae.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Guatemala			Standley, P. C. & J. A. Steyermark. 1946-1976. Flora of Guatemala.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Honduras			Lammers, T. G. 2007. World checklist and bibliography of Campanulaceae.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Nicaragua			Lammers, T. G. 2007. World checklist and bibliography of Campanulaceae.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Panama			Woodson, R. E. & R. W. Schery, eds. 1943-1980. Flora of Panama.
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Colombia		n.	Lammers, T. G. 2007. World checklist and bibliography of Campanulaceae.
2	Cultivated					also cult.

Native
Northern America

EASTERN CANADA: Canada [Québec (s.), Ontario (s.e.), New Brunswick (s.)]
NORTHEASTERN U.S.A.: United States [Connecticut, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia]
NORTH-CENTRAL U.S.A.: United States [Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Wisconsin]
NORTHWESTERN U.S.A.: United States [Colorado]
SOUTHEASTERN U.S.A.: United States [Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia]
SOUTH-CENTRAL U.S.A.: United States [New Mexico, Texas]
SOUTHWESTERN U.S.A.: United States [Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah]
NORTHERN MEXICO: Mexico [Baja California (Norte), Chihuahua, Coahuila de Zaragoza, Durango, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Sonora, Tamaulipas]
SOUTHERN MEXICO: Mexico [Chiapas, Ciudad de México, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco, México, Michoacán de Ocampo, Morelos, Oaxaca, Puebla, Querétaro, Tabasco, Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave]

Southern America

CENTRAL AMERICA: Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama
WESTERN SOUTH AMERICA: Colombia (n.)

Cultivated (also cult.)

Reference(s)

Correll, D. S. & M. C. Johnston. 1970. Manual of the vascular plants of Texas
Cronquist, A. et al. 1972-. Intermountain flora.
Hickman, J. C., ed. 1993. The Jepson manual: higher plants of California
Lammers, T. G. 2007. World checklist and bibliography of Campanulaceae.
Magee, D. W. & H. E. Ahles. 1999. Flora of the Northeast. A manual of the vascular flora of New England and adjacent New York.
Martin, W. C. & C. R. Hutchins. 1980. A flora of New Mexico.
McGregor, R. L. et al. (The Great Plains Flora Association). 1977. Atlas of the Flora of the Great Plains.
Ownbey, G. B. & T. Morley. 1991. Vascular plants of Minnesota: a checklist and atlas
Radford, A. E. et al. 1964. Manual of the vascular flora of the Carolinas.
Rzedowski, J. & G. Rzedowski, eds. 1991-. Flora del Bajio y de regiones adyacentes.
Scoggan, H. J. 1978-1979. The flora of Canada, 4 vol.
Standley, P. C. & J. A. Steyermark. 1946-1976. Flora of Guatemala.
Welsh, S. L. et al. 1993. A Utah flora.
Wiggins, I. L. 1980. Flora of Baja California.
Woodson, R. E. & R. W. Schery, eds. 1943-1980. Flora of Panama.

Economic Uses

Usage	Type	Reference
Environmental	ornamental	Encke, F. et al. 1984. Zander: Handwörterbuch der Pflanzennamen, 13. Auflage
Environmental	ornamental	Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening
Medicines	folklore	Thompson, S. W. & T. G. Lammers. 1997. Phenetic analysis of morphological variation in the Lobelia cardinalis complex (Campanulaceae: Lobelioideae). Syst. Bot. 22:315-331. DOI: 10.2307/2419460 . www.aspt.net/systematic-botany
Medicines	folklore	McGuffin, M., J. T. Kartesz, A. Y. Leung, & A. O. Tucker. 2000. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2 American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, Maryland.
Medicines	folklore	Lammers, T. G. 1996. pers. comm. Note: re. common names
Vertebrate poisons	mammals	Kingsbury, J. M. 1964. Poisonous plants of the United States and Canada. Note: poisonous
Vertebrate poisons	mammals	Lampe, K. F. & M. A. McCann. 1985. AMA handbook of poisonous and injurious plants Note: poisonous

Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=22456. Accessed 12 May 2026.