The cardinal flower, or Lobelia cardinalis, is one of several lobelias native to the Americas from as far north as Canada all the way to northern Colombia in South America. It grows to a maximum of about four feet tall and prefers to grow in swamps, streambanks, and other wet places. The flowers are vibrantly red, hence cardinal flower, though there are varieties with pink and or white flowers. Another way to identify this plant is by the milky liquid which it excretes. Whereas the blue lobelia is commonly pollinated by bees, cardinal flowers are primarily pollinated by ruby-throated hummingbirds. This plant was first introduced to Europe c. 1625 where the term cardinal flower was being used by 1629. Contrary to what you might be thinking, the flower’s name does not come from the bird of the same name, which coincidentally is red, but was named in Europe for the red robes worn by the Cardinals of the Roman Catholic church.
The indigenous peoples of North America used the roots of the plant to make a root tea which was useful in treating both intestinal ailments and syphilis. The leaves were made into a tea that would help with bronchial issues, colds, fevers, headaches, and other inflammatory illnesses. For instance, the Meskwaki people would use the plant as an inhalant to treat catarrh; the Penobscot peoples would smoke dried leaves, substituting them for tobacco, sometimes even chewing the plant; and the Zuni people would use the plant as a primary ingredient in ‘schumaakwe cakes,’ which were placed externally on the body as a poultice for the treatment of swelling and rheumatic disorders. One author notes that the alkaloids present in cardinal flower indicate its potential uses as a drug for neurological disorders. It is also important to use cardinal flower sparingly as a tea, as the fourteen alkaloids present can cause sweating and vomiting if taken in large quantities, but using it in smaller quantities greatly diminishes the alkaloid content.
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