Overview

Introduce a splash of stunning blue to your garden with the lobelia cardinal flower blue, specifically the ‘Starship’ variety. This listing is for one healthy, live starter plant plug, meticulously grown and well-rooted, ready for immediate planting upon arrival. While photos may show mature plants for illustrative purposes, you will receive a young, vibrant starter plug, typically measuring 1 to 3 inches tall, without blooms at the time of shipping. The Lobelia ‘Starship’ is renowned for its striking blue flowers and is a fantastic choice for adding vertical interest and brilliant color to your garden beds, containers, or even rain gardens. Its robust nature makes it a desirable addition for both novice and experienced gardeners looking to cultivate beautiful and resilient plants. This particular variety is celebrated for its improved heat tolerance compared to older lobelia types, offering a longer season of enjoyment.

The Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis) is a native North American wildflower cherished for its brilliant, spiky blooms. The ‘Starship’ series offers enhanced garden performance and a captivating blue shade, making it a standout. These plants are grown in a nursery setting with optimal conditions to ensure they are strong and vigorous before being shipped to your home. Receiving a plug ensures minimal transplant shock and allows you to watch your plant grow from its foundational stage into a magnificent flowering specimen. Prepare to be delighted as this lobelia cardinal flower blue matures and begins to display its impressive floral display.

Key Benefits

Choosing the ‘Starship’ lobelia cardinal flower blue for your garden offers numerous advantages, enhancing both the aesthetic appeal and ecological value of your outdoor space. This vibrant plant is a true garden gem.

• Stunning Visual Impact: The brilliant blue, spiky flowers create a dramatic and eye-catching display, drawing attention and adding a unique color palette to your garden design.
• Attracts Pollinators: These plants are a magnet for hummingbirds and butterflies, bringing lively activity and supporting local ecosystems.
• Versatile Planting Options: Ideal for garden beds, borders, containers, and even rain gardens due to its preference for consistently moist soil.
• Improved Heat Tolerance: The ‘Starship’ variety is known for its superior heat resistance, allowing it to perform well even in warmer climates where other lobelias might struggle.
• Low Maintenance: Once established, the lobelia starship plant requires relatively little care, making it suitable for busy gardeners.
• Long Blooming Season: With proper care, you can enjoy its beautiful blooms for an extended period, typically from mid-summer through fall.
• Hardy and Resilient: Suitable for a wide range of USDA zones (6-10), it can also be grown as an annual in cooler regions, providing flexibility for various garden settings.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Caring for your lobelia starship plant plug is straightforward, ensuring it establishes well and thrives in your garden. Upon arrival, gently acclimate your plug to its new environment. Provide bright, indirect light for a day or two before planting. For optimal growth, choose a location that receives full sun to partial shade. In very hot climates, afternoon shade is highly recommended to protect the foliage from scorching. This plant prefers consistently moist soil, so regular watering is crucial, especially for young plugs. The soil should never be allowed to dry out completely, but also avoid waterlogging. These plants naturally thrive in areas with good moisture, making them excellent candidates for waterside plantings or rain gardens.

The ideal soil for the lobelia cardinal flower blue is rich, moist, and well-draining, with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. Incorporating organic matter into your planting site will significantly benefit its growth. Avoid dry, sandy soils unless you are prepared to water frequently. While hardy in USDA zones 6-10, gardeners in cooler climates can still enjoy this beautiful plant as an annual. Fertilize sparingly with a balanced liquid fertilizer during the growing season to encourage robust growth and abundant blooms. Deadheading spent flowers can prolong the blooming period and encourage new growth. Watch out for slugs and snails, which can be attracted to the lush foliage, especially in moist conditions. Ensuring good air circulation can help prevent fungal issues. Understanding cardinal flower care is key to a flourishing plant.

Size & Details

You will receive one healthy lobelia cardinal flower blue starter plant plug. Each plug is well-rooted and measures approximately 1 to 3 inches in height at the time of shipment. These are young, vigorous plants designed for easy establishment in your garden. While the plant will arrive without flowers, it is primed for growth and will develop its stunning blue blooms as it matures. The mature height of the ‘Starship’ lobelia typically ranges from 2 to 3 feet, with a spread of 1 to 1.5 feet, creating a striking vertical element in your landscape. It is shipped in a small nursery pot or plug tray, ensuring the root ball remains intact and protected during transit. Expect robust growth and vibrant flowering from mid-summer through fall in its first year, given proper care and conditions. This variety is known for its relatively fast growth rate, quickly filling out garden spaces with its impressive foliage and flowers.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big will the lobelia cardinal flower blue get? A: Your starter plug will arrive 1-3 inches tall. When mature, the lobelia cardinal flower blue typically reaches a height of 2 to 3 feet with a spread of 1 to 1.5 feet, creating a significant vertical presence in your garden.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: This is primarily an outdoor plant. While you can start it indoors, it thrives in outdoor garden beds, borders, and moist areas, preferring full sun to partial shade conditions. It is best suited for planting lobelia plugs directly into your garden.
• Q: How much sunlight does the lobelia starship plant need? A: The ‘Starship’ lobelia grows best in full sun to partial shade. In very hot climates, it benefits from afternoon shade to prevent leaf scorch and keep the foliage healthy.
• Q: Is this plant easy to care for? A: Yes, once established, the lobelia starship plant is relatively low maintenance. Its main requirements are consistently moist soil and appropriate sunlight, making cardinal flower care manageable for most gardeners.
• Q: What condition will the plant arrive in? A: You will receive one healthy, well-rooted starter plant plug. It will be a young plant, typically 1-3 inches tall, and will not have flowers at the time of shipment, but will be ready for planting.
• Q: When is the best time to plant lobelia plugs? A: The best time for planting lobelia plugs is in spring after the last frost, or in early summer, allowing the plant sufficient time to establish before colder weather.
• Q: What are the best soil conditions for this plant? A: This lobelia prefers rich, moist, well-draining soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. It thrives in soils high in organic matter and should not be allowed to dry out completely.
• Q: Will this plant survive winter in my zone? A: The Lobelia ‘Starship’ is hardy in USDA zones 6-10. In zones colder than 6, it can be grown as an annual, or overwintered indoors in a protected environment.
• Q: Does this blue lobelia attract pollinators? A: Absolutely! These blue lobelia varieties are well-known for attracting hummingbirds, butterflies, and other beneficial pollinators to your garden, enhancing its ecological value.
• Q: What’s the difference between this and other blue lobelia varieties? A: The ‘Starship’ series is specifically bred for improved heat tolerance and robust garden performance compared to older varieties, offering a more resilient and vibrant display of blue flowers.