Cardinal Plant (Lobelia cardinalis)

Cardinal Plant (Lobelia cardinalis): Lobelia cardinalis brings broad green leaves and upright growth to freshwater planted tanks.

Lobelia cardinalis, widely recognized as the Cardinal Plant, is a captivating aquatic species celebrated for its lush, bright green leaves that form a beautiful underwater display. Its vibrant, fleshy foliage brings a touch of bold, natural elegance to freshwater aquariums, instantly creating a serene and peaceful aquatic retreat.

This robust stem plant offers a commanding, upright growth habit, providing an eye-catching contrast to delicate, finer-leaved varieties while adding rich visual scale and depth to your aquascape. It will thrive comfortably under medium lighting conditions. CO2 is not strictly required, though supplementing with CO2 injection will yield significantly denser and more compact growth.

Skill Level: Easy

Light: Medium Light

Requires CO2: Not required but recommended

Before adding to your aquarium

Remove the shipping packaging and any pot, planting wool, or weights as appropriate. Rinse and inspect the plant, and quarantine new plants separately before introduction. Choose planting depth and substrate for the species. Keep rooted crowns and bulbs from being buried too deeply, and remove damaged leaves during establishment.

Match temperature and lighting to the plant and your livestock. This listing is part of our general freshwater plant range; browse our axolotl plant selection for more focused options.

Shipping and natural variation

Supplied and shipped by Shrimpy Business through Shopify Collective. Plants may arrive separately from axolotls and other store items. Size, shape, and coloration vary naturally; choose the available size or portion shown in the product options.

Browse all live aquarium plants.

Related supplies and guides

browse stem and rooted plants or read our guide to choosing plants for axolotl and freshwater tanks.