The Underrated Wildflower That'll Bring More Cardinals To Your Yard

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With their bright red feathers and bold personalities it's no wonder that cardinals are one of the most popular birds among birder watchers. So it makes sense that many people find ways to attract more of these crimson visitors to their yards, taking steps like filling your feeders with sunflower seeds and utilizing other simple methods that will attract more songbirds to your yard and garden. One of the best ways to bring more cardinals to your yard is to plant flowers they love, and one underrated flowering plant in this category is the Pennsylvania smartweed (Persicaria pensylvanica). This fast-growing annual has a long blooming season, which means pollinating insects have a long-lasting nectar source as other flowers fade. For cardinals and other birds, the plant means plenty of tasty, large seeds.

Sporting lovely bright pink or pale purple spiked flowers that bloom throughout the summer, Pennsylvania smartweed provides plenty of nectar. Even though the blooms on this annual are tiny, they are quite striking. The plant can grow to be 24- to 48-inches tall, spreading 12- to 36-inches wide. As the flowers fade, the plant produces large black seeds from late summer and into early fall, which cardinals love. What's more, since they don't fully digest the seed, cardinals also become propagators of the wildlife-friendly, native plant that's found throughout the continental U.S., in USDA zones 3 though 10.

Pennsylvania smartweed grows the best in areas with moist loamy soil. It's naturally found along ditches and in marshes, so if you have areas in your yard that stays soggy longer, this is the wildflower to plant in those spots. Smartweed can even handle standing water for a while as long as it drains eventually. As long as the soil is kept moist, this flower will be happy. Full or partial sun will reap the best results for this unique looking wildflower, which gives gardeners some flexibility.

And it's not just cardinals who love this plant. In the wild, its seeds, flower, and cover benefit everything from waterfowl and insects to mice and raccoons. The latter two, of course, may not be among preferred guests to your yard, but the plant could also help you attract more owls.

Pennsylvania smartweed doesn't require much to help it flourish, but you can fertilize lightly durinng the growing season to promote growth, adding something like Gardenwise 10-10-10 liquid fertilizer and plant food. Take care not to overdo it, which can cause the plant to sacrifice blooms for more foliage. Though it's not invasive, it is considered a native weed and can quickly take over an area, self-seeding if you don't deadhead spent blooms. The other advantage of deadheading is you'll often get a second, smaller bloom cycle. Because it's an annual, you'll want to reseed following the last frost in spring. Meanwhile, you can attract cardinals all winter by offering them dried or fresh fruit.