Mexican Cardinal Flower

The sunset colored blooms of Mexican Cardinal Flower are truly one of my favorites.  This long lived perennial starts blooming in June and goes strong most of the summer and into fall.  Better than an annual right?  The clean, glossy, linear leaves on dark stems add another layer of texture that looks great in a pot or in a mixed border, and even would look appropriate poolside.  The tubular salmon/red flowers with an orange and yellow throat just beckon to the hummingbirds.  I have mine in a large pot and it has reliably come back every spring after going dormant in winter.  In the ground it will spread to about 3′ wide and get about 18-20″ tall.  Picking off spent flowers will prolong its bloom but is not neccessary, overall its a very easy care perennial.  It is also not too choosy about soil, tolerating it on the dry side, but also accepting moister soils too.  Give it a good mulching and full to half a day of strong sun and it will reward you with tropical looking flowers all summer. Reported to be deer resistant but have not tried it yet in the Rogue Valley.  Let us know!