Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis) is in the bellflower family family (Campanulaceae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 7,055 research-grade flowering observations of it in our sample, peaking in August.
Nationally it blooms mainly from August to September, but timing varies a lot by state and elevation — see the table below.
When to photograph Cardinal Flower: observations by month (U.S.)
About Cardinal Flower
Lobelia cardinalis (syn. L. fulgens, cardinal flower) is a species of flowering plant in the bellflower family Campanulaceae native to the Americas, from southeastern Canada south through the eastern and southwestern United States, Mexico and Central America to northern Colombia.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Cardinal Flower by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | 527 | August | Jul–Sep |
| North Carolina | 511 | August | Aug–Sep |
| Pennsylvania | 429 | August | Aug–Aug |
| New York | 366 | August | Jul–Aug |
| Oklahoma | 339 | September | Aug–Sep |
| Virginia | 312 | August | Aug–Sep |
| Kentucky | 291 | August | Aug–Sep |
| Ohio | 290 | August | Jul–Sep |
| Maine | 277 | August | Jul–Aug |
| Mississippi | 274 | September | Aug–Oct |
| Texas | 270 | September | Sep–Oct |
| Illinois | 264 | August | Aug–Sep |
| Tennessee | 219 | August | Aug–Sep |
| Maryland | 207 | August | Jul–Sep |
| New Hampshire | 202 | August | Aug–Aug |
| Indiana | 191 | August | Aug–Sep |
| Connecticut | 190 | August | Aug–Aug |
| Alabama | 189 | September | Aug–Oct |
| Arkansas | 157 | September | Aug–Sep |
| Michigan | 154 | August | Aug–Sep |
| Wisconsin | 149 | August | Aug–Aug |
| Florida | 141 | October | Sep–Nov |
| Vermont | 137 | August | Aug–Sep |
| Minnesota | 134 | August | Aug–Sep |
| New Jersey | 122 | August | Aug–Aug |
| Georgia | 118 | September | Aug–Sep |
| West Virginia | 116 | August | Aug–Aug |
| South Carolina | 88 | September | Aug–Sep |
| Missouri | 64 | September | Aug–Sep |
| Rhode Island | 63 | August | Aug–Sep |
| Delaware | 60 | August | Aug–Sep |
| Louisiana | 59 | September | Sep–Oct |
| Arizona | 35 | September | Aug–Oct |
| Iowa | 34 | August | Aug–Sep |
| Utah | 34 | September | Sep–Sep |
| District of Columbia | 15 | August | Aug–Sep |
| New Mexico | 10 | August | Aug–Oct |
| Kansas | 8 | September | Sep–Sep |
| Nevada | 5 | August | Jul–Sep |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related wildflowers (bellflower family)
Great Blue Lobelia
Tall Bellflower
Indian tobacco
clasping Venus's looking glass
Creeping Bellflower
Pale-Spiked Lobelia
Western Harebell
Downy Lobelia
Photography tips
- Photograph flowers on calm, overcast mornings to avoid wind blur and harsh shadows.
- Get low: a shallow depth of field (f/2.8–f/5.6) isolates a bloom against soft color.
- Stay on trails — trampling meadows kills plants and ruins next year's display.
- Try a kaleidoscope abstract of a single bloom with our online kaleidoscope tool.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Cardinal Flower?
Nationally, August has the most observations, with the main season from August to September.
Where is Cardinal Flower most often seen?
The most observations come from Massachusetts, North Carolina, Pennsylvania.