Starship™ Deep Rose Cardinal Flower

The Starship™ Deep Rose Cardinal Flower is among the most striking of all perennial flowers – like a rocket taking off. Related to our native cardinal flower, this stunning plant grows as a narrow, upright cluster of stems, up to 2 feet tall and a foot or so across. The leaves are glossy and attractive, and a deep green flushed with burgundy red. The beautiful flowers cluster along spikes at the top of the plant, with many blooms coming over a long period. 2 inches long, each flower has two parts, with a broad lower lip of three lobes like a landing-pad, and an upper lip of two lobes. The color is a wonderful rich rose-pink, making a fabulous summer display for weeks and weeks. The flowers are attractive to butterflies and also to hummingbirds, which will swarm around them. It will grow in regular soil mixed with other perennials, but it does need moist soil, so it grows even better when planted beside a pond or a stream. Grow it in damp to wet spots, and in low-lying woodland areas too. Given plenty of water it will really shine, and look its striking best.

• Bold rose-pink blooms on strong vertical stems
• Handsome, glossy foliage of dark green flushed with burgundy
• Grows in regular soil, and also in damp areas beside ponds and streams
• A terrific perennial for blooms through the later part of summer
• Hugely popular with butterflies and hummingbirds

Choose a spot in full sun, or with just a little shade, for your Starship™ Deep Rose Cardinal Flower. Some afternoon sun is best if it is planted in ordinary garden soil. It will grow in a moist, well-drained garden soil, preferably rich with organic materials. It grows even better in wet soils, beside a pond, a stream, or in low-lying parts of your garden. It also grows in heavy clay soils, and in strongly acidic ones too. It isn’t drought tolerant and should be watered as needed. Hardy from zone 6, and will often survive in zone 5 too, depending on the local conditions. For best survival, don’t cut down in fall, but in spring, once you see new shoots sprouting from the base. Once the stems are 6 to 8 inches tall, pinch out the tip of the shoots to encourage branching and a bushier plant, which will be less likely to need staking. It isn’t eaten by deer and generally stays free of pests or disease problems.