Swallowtail on the Cardinal flower

[RobAmy]

The Cardinal flower has been getting a few visitors lately.
Swallowtail on the Cardinal flower by A & R Photography, on Flickr

 

[Tula]

We just visited a cool native plant nursery last week end and I bought another cardinal flower. Are yours planted in a damp area?

 

[RobAmy]

We just visited a cool native plant nursery last week end and I bought another cardinal flower. Are yours planted in a damp area?

Funny you ask. I planted one in the ponds edge and one outside the pond but close to the edge. The one planted in the dirt is doing better ( blooming longer). I actually moved the one out of the pond into the dirt. Not sure still the best place but the one in the ponds edge may have been a little to moist.

 

[Lisak1]

Oddly enough, we started with ours outside of the pond and as it reseeded itself, it chose the damp edge just inside the pond. The original plant is gone completely.

 

[RobAmy]

Oddly enough, we started with ours outside of the pond and as it reseeded itself, it chose the damp edge just inside the pond. The original plant is gone completely.

Ha ha, now I have no idea where to put it.

 

[Tula]

I asked because I planted mine in a well drained area with a fair amount of light and it's happy as can be. When we visited this native plant nursery they told me to plant it in damp soil and showed me how they'd created a 6 inch deep "bowl" in the earth for theirs.

I planted the second one by the first one, in hopes it too will be happy

 

[Lisak1]

Plants are weird. It's impossible to predict how and where and why things will grow. And sometimes a plant will be happy for years and then suddenly it's gone.

 

[Gemma]

Cool pic!

My Cardinal started out in water it was nice and full, then lost a branch with every storm...the branches I planted around the yard some in sun some in shade and one in a pot under a Cana Lily
They are all doing good but the one under the Canna hasn't stopped blooming

 

[Gemma]

posted before I was done but here is the one in a pot completely shaded