Grow and Care for Indian Pink

Grow Indian pink in part shade, in moist soil that still drains. The plant is Spigelia marilandica, a woodland clump with scarlet tubes and a yellow star — not cardinal flower, and not a sun pink.

Give it part shade and moist soil that still drains

Indian pink is Spigelia marilandica. It wants part shade and an organic layer that stays moist, then drains. Deep shade makes taller, thinner stems with fewer tubes. A woodland edge or morning sun makes a denser clump and more bloom, as long as you water in heat. [1] Hummingbirds work the scarlet tubes. The mouth of each tube flares into a yellow five-point star, which is the usual way to know you have this plant and not a wet-meadow spike. [2] Once the clump is settled, a short dry spell is tolerated. A new plant still needs even moisture through the first summers, because that is when a hot, dry bed stalls it. Do not lime the bed. The roots take in slightly acid to circumneutral ground, and lime pushes the soil the wrong way.

Plant in fall or spring, with the crown even with the soil

Plant a bought clump in fall, or in spring after the soil has warmed, into an organic bed in part shade. Set the crown even with the surrounding soil. Do not bury it, and do not drop it into a lime hole in the open.

1. Pick part shade, or a woodland edge you can water. Hot, dry full sun at planting is the usual reason a new clump stalls.
2. Work leaf compost or pine-bark fines into the top several inches of the bed. Do not lime, and do not amend only the planting hole.
3. Slide the nursery clump out. Set it even with the soil. Do not bury the crown.
4. Water it in, mulch lightly, keep that mulch off the crown, and keep the bed moist through the first summers. Space clumps about 12 to 18 inches apart.

Not cardinal flower — and not dianthus or catchfly

Cardinal flower is Lobelia cardinalis, a taller wet-meadow plant with two-lipped red spikes later in the year. Indian pink is a 1 to 2 foot woodland clump. Each tube is scarlet outside and yellow inside, and the mouth opens as a five-point star in late spring. Read How to Grow Lobelia if the plant wants wet ground and a tall spike.

Chinese pink is Dianthus, a sun plant with pinked petals, not a woodland tube. Read How to Grow Dianthus if the tag is a bedding pink. Southern Indian pink is Silene laciniata, a western catchfly with fringed petals. Read How to Grow Silene if the plant wants a dry, bright bed.

Dragon's mouth is Arethusa, a bog orchid. Read How to Grow Dragon's Mouth if the plant is a single pink orchid in sphagnum, not a scarlet woodland tube.

Pick off spent tubes so the next ones keep opening

The cluster opens from the bottom up, so the lowest tubes fade while upper buds are still closed. Pinch those spent flowers so the plant keeps opening the rest of the cluster, instead of rushing into seed. [3] After the whole flush is finished, you can cut the stems back by about half. That often brings a smaller later bloom. [4] Do not shear the clump like a hedge, and do not cut into the crown in late winter when the plant is still underground.

1. Watch the lowest tubes fade first. Pinch or snip each spent flower while upper buds are still closed.
2. When the whole cluster is done, cut those stems back by about half if you want a later flush.
3. Leave the glossy leaves in place through the growing season. They feed the crown.
4. When the tops die in fall, cut dead stems to the ground, or wait until spring. Do not dig around the crown in late winter, because new shoots are late and easy to nick.

If a new clump is thin and the tubes are scarce, give it morning sun, keep the soil moist, and do not lime the bed.