Hi Ellery sorry about your lobelia cardinalis. Here in my yard the red leaved ones as far as I can tell haven't bloomed yet. The regular green leaved ones are mostly finished blooming However there are a few that are doing poorly and I noticed besides them being dry they are stacked with japanese beetles so I go around and pick them and drop them into soapy water. But maybe you don't have japanese beetles. Sarah

I gave up trying to grow this plant in my sandy soil, so since I don't grow it I'm full of advice. Are you keeping your plants constantly watered, like twice a day? The wild ones around here grow in shallow standing water, at least the ones that bloom do. Because I couldn't keep mine watered enough the best I ever got was ugly plants with at best ugly flowers. You should also keep in mind that I'm too dry to grow the more forgiving syphillatica "spelling?" as well.

Lastly, is the red leafed variety cardinalis or the Mexican one? If it's the Mexican one then I really don't know what I talking about. Aren't there also hybrids?