great blue lobelia

Also known as Great Lobelia, Blue Cardinal Flower

Great blue lobelia brightens moist woodlands, wet meadows, and stream banks across eastern North America with dense spikes of rich blue, two-lipped flowers. Bumblebees and other long-tongued bees act as primary pollinators, forcing their way into the tube-like blooms where specialized mechanisms deposit pollen on their backs. Though individual plants are relatively short-lived perennials, they readily self-seed and form persistent colonies in suitable damp habitats.