cardinal flower

a North American plant, Lobelia cardinalis, with showy red tubular flowers in an elongated cluster.

Also called scarlet lobelia.

Origin of cardinal flower

An Americanism dating back to 1620–30; so called from its color

It was a likely place for the cardinal-flower, but I could not find any.

Riverby |John Burroughs
The Western cardinal-flower quite closely resembles L. cardinalis of the East, differing from it in a few minor points only.

The Wild Flowers of California: Their Names, Haunts, and Habits |Mary Elizabeth Parsons
But when vivid color is wanted, what can surpass or equal our cardinal-flower?

Riverby |John Burroughs
Farther north, the cardinal-flower seems to fail, and the monarda takes its place, growing in similar localities.

Riverby |John Burroughs

In the afternoon they all plunged into the lake, Eva swimming like a cardinal-flower afloat.

Lippincott's Magazine, August, 1885 |Various

cardinal flower

a campanulaceous plant, Lobelia cardinalis of E North America, that has brilliant scarlet, pink, or white flowers