Starship Blue Cardinal Flower
Lobelia × speciosa ‘Starship Blue’
1 gallon pot
 
A striking perennial, Starship Blue produces dense, upright spikes packed with deep violet-blue flowers above fresh green foliage. The intensely colored blooms create a strong vertical accent from midsummer into early fall and are especially attractive to hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees. Its compact, well-branched habit makes it equally useful in perennial borders, rain gardens, and containers.
 
Selected for earlier flowering, sturdy stems, and improved branching, Starship Blue performs best in fertile soil that remains consistently moist. It grows well in full sun to part shade and is particularly useful in damp areas where many other flowering perennials struggle. Removing spent spikes can encourage additional flowering.
 
Herbaceous perennial
Zones 6–10
Full sun to part shade
Grows 28–32 in. tall x 18–20 in. wide
Moderate to high water needs; prefers consistently moist soil
Hummingbird friendly, pollinator friendly, deer-resistant
Blooms Jul–Sep