Indian pink, an easy-to-grow and often underappreciated wildflower native to the southeastern United States, deserves a place in more shaded yards. Gardeners love it for its predictable show of flowers in late spring every year. The colorful trumpet-shaped blossoms are yellow inside and red outside. These blossoms stand out from across the yard and attract a variety of pollinators, including bees and butterflies. Indian pink is one of the few shade-loving wildflowers you can plant that reliably attracts hummingbirds. It is relatively deer- and rabbit-resistant.
Indian pink is toxic to humans.
Indian Pink Overview
Where to Plant Indian Pink
Find a partially shaded spot where the soil is consistently moist but has good drainage and a slightly acidic pH. You can plant Indian pink in shaded beds and borders or as part of lush, casual plantings such as cottage gardens, woodland gardens, or butterfly gardens. It's eye-catching when planted by itself in mass plantings, where it's practically guaranteed to attract hummingbirds. Thanks to its festive red-and-yellow flowers, you can also easily incorporate Indian pink into tropical-inspired gardens.
How and When to Plant Indian Pink
The best planting time is early to midfall. Dig a hole about twice the diameter of the nursery pot and about the same depth. Place the plant in the hole and fill in the original soil to the top of the root ball. Gently tamp down the soil and water it well. Keep it watered for at least one week until the plant is established.
For a dense mass planting or bedding planting, space plants about 10 inches apart.
Indian Pink Care Tips
Light
Indian pink thrives in partial to full shade. At the lower end of its zone range, it will tolerate some afternoon sun.
Soil and Water
The plant grows best in moist, well-drained soil rich in organic matter. If your soil has a high sand or clay content, amend it liberally with organic matter such as compost before planting.
The soil should be consistently moist and not dry out, especially in hot summer weather, so water accordingly. A 2- to 3-inch layer of mulch around the base of the plant helps preserve soil moisture.
Temperature and Humidity
This wildflower is winter-hardy and adaptable to a wide climate range and humidity level except for extreme winter cold and scorching summer heat.
Fertilizer
For a woodland native, like Indian pink, skip the commercial fertilizer. Instead, lightly work about 1 inch of compost into the soil at least once a year, in the spring, and twice or three times if your soil is less nutrient-rich to start with.
Pruning
Indian pink doesn't require pruning except for removing dead stems after the season is over. You can cut back Indian pink right away if you like your yard to have a clean look in winter or leave it standing to catch snow and provide winter interest.
Potting and Repotting Indian Pink
Indian pink can be grown in pots. Select a container that is more wide than tall (the plant spreads by rhizomes, producing offsets) and make sure it has large drainage holes. Fill it with a combination of well-draining potting mix and compost. Keep in mind that container plants require more frequent watering and fertilization than plants in the landscape.
Growing Indian pink in containers requires winter protection, although the plant is winter-hardy in cold climates. In containers, the roots are exposed to the cold. To insulate the roots, bury the container in the ground, or place it inside a second, larger container to create a planting silo.
When the rhizomatous root system has reached the sides of the container, repot Indian pink in a pot one size larger with fresh potting mix.
Pests and Problems
Indian pink is generally unbothered by pests and diseases.
How to Propagate Indian Pink
Indian pink can be propagated from seeds or by dividing the plants in the early summer.
To divide: Dig up a clump after loosening the soil and roots. Pull up the clump, careful to keep the roots intact. Shake or brush off excess dirt. Pry or cut apart individual crowns, making sure each clump has both roots and leaves, which it needs to grow. Replant the clumps separately and cover them with mulch to preserve moisture.
The seeds are peculiar: they are shot out of the pods several feet away. They need 90 days of cold stratification. Start them in the fall, either directly in the ground or in seed pots or trays. Barely cover the seeds. If there is no rain or snow, gently spray the soil with water to prevent it from drying out. The seeds will begin germination in the spring.
Indian Pink Companion Plants
Coral Bells
Exciting new selections with incredible foliage patterns have put coral bells on the map. Previously enjoyed mainly for their spires of dainty reddish flowers, coral bells are now grown as much for the unusual mottling and veining of different-color leaves. The low clumps of long-stemmed evergreen or semi-evergreen lobed foliage make coral bells fine groundcover plants. They enjoy humus-rich, moisture-retaining soil. Beware of heaving in areas with very cold winters.
Hosta
Hosta has earned its spot in the hearts of gardeners—it's among the easiest plants to grow, as long as you have some shade and ample rainfall. Hostas vary from tiny plants suitable for troughs or rock gardens to massive 4-foot clumps with heart-shaped leaves almost 2 feet long that can be puckered, wavy-edged, white or green variegated, blue-gray, chartreuse, emerald-edged—the variations are virtually endless. This tough, shade-loving perennial blooms with white or purplish lavender funnel-shaped or flared flowers in summer.
Columbine
Perfect for cottage and woodland gardens, old-fashioned columbines are available in almost all colors of the rainbow. Intricate little flowers, they are most commonly a combination of red, peach, and yellow but also blues, whites, pure yellows, and pinks; they look almost like folded paper lanterns. Columbine thrives in sun or partial shade in moist, well-drained soil. Plants tend to be short-lived but self-seed readily, often creating natural hybrids with other nearby columbines.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is Little Redhead Indian pink a perennial?Yes, ‘Little Redhead’ is a cultivar of the species Spigelia marilandica. The cultivar has a more compact and uniform growth habit, not exceeding 2 feet in height. The only other known cultivar of Indian pink is the orange-red blooming ‘Ragin Cajun’.
Yes, ‘Little Redhead’ is a cultivar of the species Spigelia marilandica. The cultivar has a more compact and uniform growth habit, not exceeding 2 feet in height. The only other known cultivar of Indian pink is the orange-red blooming ‘Ragin Cajun’.
- Is Indian pink a lobelia?No, these are two different plant species that are not even in the same plant family. Confusingly, they are often referred to by the same common name, Indian pink. The Indian pink described above is Spigelia marilandica; the other Indian pink is known as lobelia or cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis). It is also native to the United States but blooms much later, in mid- to late summer.
No, these are two different plant species that are not even in the same plant family. Confusingly, they are often referred to by the same common name, Indian pink. The Indian pink described above is Spigelia marilandica; the other Indian pink is known as lobelia or cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis). It is also native to the United States but blooms much later, in mid- to late summer.