Cardinal flowers time their blooms with the fall migration of hummingbirds, their chief pollinator . In the winter they die back to a circular ring of leaves called a basal rosette. These leaves are resistant to cold and allow the plant to continue to produce and store food. These plants survive Texas hot dry summer by living in wet shady areas. Cardinal flowers are specially modified so that they can only be pollinated by hummingbirds.
Cardinal flowers are quite uncommon.
They rely on their bright color and abundant nectar to attract hummingbirds to them. The hummingbirds carry the pollen long distances from flower to flower and ensure the plant s survival. Legend has it that the scarlet-red flower was named for the red robes worn by cardinals in the Catholic Church. Although native to North America, it's been cultivated in Europe since the 1600s for its lovely flower.