Lobelia Cardinalis Mini

28 reviews
Sale price
$7.99
Regular price
$8.99
You save
11%

Emerged Growth: Fresh Cut Plants

In stock and ready for shipping
Lobelia Cardinalis - Aquarium Plants Factory

Lobelia Cardinalis Mini

Emerged Growth: Fresh Cut Plants

Sale price
$7.99
Regular price
$8.99

🌿 Lobelia cardinalis 'Mini' – Compact Foreground Lobelia with Vibrant Green Leaves

Lobelia cardinalis 'Mini' is a dwarf variant of the popular Cardinal Plant, selectively bred for its smaller leaf size and compact growth habit. This cultivar features crisp, bright green foliage that grows densely and horizontally, making it ideal for foreground or midground placement in aquascaped tanks. With regular trimming and high light, this plant forms low, bushy clusters that create a clean, manicured appearance.

Unlike its larger cousin, which often reaches the background zone, Lobelia cardinalis 'Mini' stays neat and controlled. Its smaller internodal spacing and vibrant coloration make it a favorite among aquascapers seeking balance and contrast between stem plants and carpets.


🌟 Key Features:

  • Scientific Name: Lobelia cardinalis 'Mini'

  • Common Name: Dwarf Cardinal Plant, Mini Cardinalis

  • Compact Form: Grows low and horizontal with small rounded leaves

  • Bright Color: Displays vibrant, fresh green foliage under moderate to high light

  • Clean Structure: Excellent for structured layouts and Dutch-style aquascapes

  • Perfect for Foreground/Midground: Offers layering and visual balance


🌱 Growth & Propagation:

  • Lighting Needs: Medium to high

  • CO₂ & Fertilizers: CO₂ injection recommended for compact growth and vibrant coloration

  • Growth Method: Submerged

  • Nutrient Substrate: Required

  • Can Be Grown Emersed: Yes (emerges well in humid paludariums and wabi-kusa setups)

  • Growth Rate: Moderate

  • pH Range: 6.0 – 7.5

  • Temperature Tolerance: 64°F – 82°F (18°C – 28°C)

  • Propagation: Trim and replant stem cuttings; side shoots may also root


🖼️ Aquascaping Benefits:

  • Ideal for creating crisp rows or defined patches in the foreground

  • Adds vibrant green contrast next to red or bronze stem plants

  • Offers clean geometry and control for Dutch and nature-style tanks


📦 What You’ll Receive:

Sold as loose fresh-cut plants, bunched plants, or potted plants:

  • Fresh-Cut Plants: Approximately 3 individual, loose-cut stems without root

  • Bunched Plants: Approximately 3 stems without root bundled with foam and a plant weight

  • Potted Plants: Approximately 3 stems without root potted in rockwool and net pot


⚠️ Disclaimer:

As a high-light, nutrient-loving stem plant, Lobelia cardinalis 'Mini' requires a stable environment with consistent fertilization and CO₂ for optimal form. Occasional trimming helps maintain a low and bushy profile. Some leaf melt may occur during early transition from emersed to submerged growth but should stabilize quickly.


🚫 State Restrictions Notice ♻️ Be a Responsible Aquatic Plants Owner

Please do not release this plant into natural waterways. Always follow local laws and protect native ecosystems by disposing of trimmings responsibly.

 

Shipping Policy

At Aquarium Plants Factory, we carefully package and ship all orders to ensure plants and livestock arrive healthy and ready to thrive.


Order Processing Time

Most orders are processed within 1–2 business days after payment is received.

Orders placed on weekends or holidays will be processed on the next business day.

Orders containing out-of-stock, pre-order, or backorder items may require additional handling time.

Once your order ships, tracking information will be sent to your email.


Shipping Schedule

Live Plants

Live plant orders ship Monday through Saturday when using United States Postal Service (USPS).

Most plant-only orders ship within 1–3 business days, excluding products that are out of stock, pre-order, or backorder.

Estimated USPS delivery time is 2–5 business days, depending on your location.


UPS Express Shipping

We offer the following UPS expedited shipping options:

UPS 2-Day Air®

Estimated delivery: 2 business days

Please note that UPS 2-Day Air® is not a guaranteed service in the event of carrier delays, weather disruptions, or operational issues.

UPS Next Day Air®

Estimated delivery: 1 business day

This service is guaranteed by UPS according to their service guarantee policies.

UPS expedited orders ship Monday through Wednesday only to ensure packages arrive within the same week and avoid weekend delays.

Please note that orders require 1–2 business days of handling time before shipment.

To help ensure same-week delivery, please place UPS orders on or before Tuesday at 6:00 AM Pacific Time (PT).


Live Animals Shipping

Live animal orders ship Monday through Wednesday only.

This schedule ensures animals arrive within the same week and do not remain in transit over the weekend.

Handling time for live animal orders typically ranges from 1–5 business days, depending on:

  • Weather conditions

  • Livestock health

  • Shipping destination

Tracking information will be emailed once the order has been shipped.


Free Shipping

We offer Free Shipping on eligible orders over $150 within the contiguous United States.

Estimated delivery time for free shipping orders is 2–5 business days.

If your order contains both live plants and live animals, the shipment may be combined and the appropriate shipping rate will be shown at checkout.

Free Shipping is not available for customers located in:

  • Alaska

  • Hawaii

  • Puerto Rico

  • Guam

  • U.S. Virgin Islands

Customers in these locations must select Expedited or Express shipping options at checkout.


Delivery Time Estimates

Delivery times shown at checkout are estimates provided by the shipping carrier.

While we work hard to ship orders quickly, delivery times may vary due to factors outside of our control, including:

  • Weather conditions

  • Carrier delays

  • High shipping volumes

  • Transportation disruptions

Aquarium Plants Factory is not responsible for shipping delays caused by the carrier.


Delayed or Lost Packages

Occasionally, shipments may take longer than expected.

A package is considered lost only after 15 business days (approximately 3 weeks) from the ship date.

If a package is confirmed lost by the carrier, we may offer a 50/50 replacement, meaning:

  • Aquarium Plants Factory covers 50% of the replacement cost

  • The customer covers 50% plus shipping


Address Accuracy

Customers are responsible for providing a complete and accurate shipping address when placing an order.

Please ensure that your address is correct when using payment methods such as:

  • Credit / Debit Card

  • PayPal

  • Apple Pay

  • Google Pay

  • Amazon Pay

  • Shopify Pay

  • AliPay

Orders returned due to:

  • Incorrect address

  • Refused delivery

  • Failed delivery attempts

may not be eligible for a refund.


Order Cancellations

If you need to cancel an order, please contact us as soon as possible.

Orders can only be canceled before they have been shipped.

Once an order has been shipped, it can no longer be canceled.


Returns

Due to the sensitive nature of live goods, all sales are final.

We do not accept returns or exchanges for:

  • Live plants

  • Live animals


For any shipping questions, please contact us before placing your order.

Aquarium Plants Factory
https://www.AquariumPlantsFactory.com

 WHAT WE GUARANTEE

24 Hours Live Arrival Guarantee* - In a rare case of live stocks dead on arrival, we must be notified within 24 hours by the same day of delivery. Please take clear photos of the damaged product and send it to us within 24 hours.  Live Arrival Guarantee will be void after 24 hours of delivery. All replacements are considered final and we will not replace the replacement.

  1. Picture requirements: Take at least 2 clear photos of damaged product in their original, unopened & sealed transparent packing and send photos and orders information to our email within 24 hours: aquariumplantsfactory@gmail.com 
  2. Please do not take picture of damaged plants, or animals in your aquarium. Once they have been introduced to your aquarium's ecosystem. It is no longer covered by our guarantee.

Please be aware that our Live Arrival Guarantee is subject to certain conditions. Specifically, the guarantee will not be applicable in cases where the package is marked as 'invalid address', 'undeliverable' or is 'returned to sender.' This includes situations such as a vacant delivery address, a missing apartment number, or any other issues that prevent the postal service from delivering your package.

It is crucial to provide accurate and complete shipping information to ensure the successful delivery of your order and the applicability of the Live Arrival Guarantee.

Please keep in mind that Live Arrival Guarantee only guarantees that live stocks will be alive upon arrival. We cannot guarantee that you will continue to have success with them. Many factors, including the aquarium environment, water quality, nutrient, temperature, lighting, filter, and CO2 system, can contribute to the failure to grow live plants and live animals.

 

WHAT WE CAN'T GUARANTEE

Even though our plants are very clean, but we can't guarantee they will be 100% pest-free because we cannot be responsible for your aquarium. Please use it at your own risk. We recommended all customers rinse the plants with clean water and quarantine them before use.

However, plants in tissue culture will be 100% free from pests, algae and never have been contacting with any aquarium.

  1. Due to the nature of the product. We don't guarantee our plants will be pests free. ( snails, algae, hitchhikers )
  2. We don't guarantee our plants will be free of pesticides. We use homemade, organic pesticides in our greenhouse to control pests. We do not use pesticides that contain copper. Copper is toxic to invertebrates such as aquatic snails, crabs, shrimps, etc
  3. We don't guarantee your aquarium success or are responsible for your aquarium inhabitant including but not limited to fish, shrimp, snail, turtle, etc. So please quarantine all plants when use!
  4. Unless specific, we don't guarantee aquatic plants will be grow emerged or submerge.

Please review your state's regulations on restricted plants, as we are committed to not shipping plants that are restricted in your area. Do not release any plants into the wild or waterways, as this can harm local ecosystems by introducing invasive species.

Your cooperation in protecting the environment is appreciated. For continuously updated information, refer to the USDA State Noxious Weed list here.

Thank you for your responsible commitment to environmental preservation.

Customers praised this aquatic plant as "beautiful" with vibrant purple coloring and healthy arrival condition. Reviews note fast growth, strong roots, and easy propagation. Most report excellent packaging and quick delivery. Some experienced leaf melt during acclimation, and purple leaves may turn green when fully submerged. A few noted shipping damage or plant loss.

  • They've already rooted nicely and have added maybe an inch to their length. I couldn't be happier!
  • Looks exactly like the picture, quality is great. It's been 3 days, no signs of melting.
  • Never see so beautiful plants before. Love it!
  • 5 stars: 25 (89%)
  • 4 stars: 3 (11%)
  • 3 stars: 0 (0%)
  • 2 stars: 0 (0%)
  • 1 star: 0 (0%)
R
Richard M. (United States)
Bought this twice it was so good

Bought this twice it was so good. First time I got this plant it was amazing two mid size chunks in very good condition. Second time I ended up with 5 smaller pieces and they had maybe 30 - 40 % dead leaves but are doing well in the tank with minimal to no melt off.

S
Sarah G. (United States)
Lovely Lobelia

All of the plants I ordered arrived a little later than projected but where still in good shape. The lobelia all had nice, healthy looking leaves with variegated colors. All have been planted and so far are doing okay 3 days later.

R
Rene m.T. (United States)
They are beauties!

They look so good. I love that purple tinge to it. Great will definitely buy again from here!

D
Dmytro (United States)

Never see so beautiful plants before. Love it!

K
Karnchanok S. (United States)
Love the color!

This is the way they look in my tank.

G
Gardenofedens (United States)
Super healthy plants, growth took off immediately!

I absolutely LOVED this plant when it arrived. It came with such a beautiful purple color. Unfortunately many of those leaves died off and the new growth is green. I don't have it near the surface of the water so I expected that but I still wish it had kept the pretty purple leaves! All the plants in my 55g tank are from Aquarium Plants Factory and as you can see, they've all grown SO much since I received them! (For reference, I don't use CO2 and they've still done extremely well!) And maybe I lucked out, but all the plants were/are snail free!

N
Nate (United States)
Great!

Received very nice healthy portions, just as pictured. Plants are growing great without CO2. In just a couple weeks I'm seeing lots of new growth, will be very easy to propagate.

C
Chrys w. (United States)
Arrived damaged from usps

Arrived pretty fast, but came in damaged from usps. Caught the worker throwing it on camera. You could look at the plants i ordered, and could tell it was thrown around. All but half a stem died. But im hoping that half makes it. It definitely is a pretty plant. Its currently in a dry start tank with the rest of the order, and seems to be making a comeback

J
Jeff M. (United States)
Sturdy little plants

I planted the Lobelia Cardinalis Mini in a fairly new tank about 2 weeks ago. They've already rooted nicely and have added maybe an inch to their length. I couldn't be happier!

D
David P. (United States)
Lobelia Cardinalis

Plant was delivered quickly and in good shape. APF is a great place to get aquarium plants!

S
Stephen P. (United States)
Lovely

Very nice. Growing in very nicely.

W
Wesley

No complaints at all. Plants came healthy and well kept. Not a single dead one at all. Not to mention the early delivery. Will buy from them again in the future.

R
Ross

The most adorable compact I have. I absolutely adore it. Super nifty.

A
Andrew

Dense, lush, clumps of this species.

J
Jose C. (United States)
Lobelia Cardinalis

Great looking plant. Well packaged, very healthy

E
Eamonn k. (United States)
On time

The shipment came in on time and are in good shape.

D
David C. (United States)
Cool plant grows fast

Grows very fast looks great on the sides of rocks or wood. Mine didn’t have any purple so I can’t review on it turning colors or not.

A
Anonymous (United States)
Amazing

Very pleased with look

B
Beatrice A. (United States)
Love the packaging!

My plants came well packaged and lush. I will definitely be ordering from this store again!

C
Ce (United States)
Great

As described and healthy. Great product

M
Melissa (United States)

Giving 4 star because I bought 3 different plants and one was mush. However, this one was in nice shape and doing well in my daughters aquarium.

J
Jen (United States)
Arrived in Great Shape

I'm giving this plant five stars because it arrived in excellent condition. I lost one stem to melt and have melt occurring on the rest, but my hope is that it just needs time to acclimate. I have it under med-high light, planted in FloraMax, with some ramshorn snails providing clean-up assistance with dying plant tissue. I do see new, bright green leaves sprouting on at least two of the surviving stems, so this should be a nice addition if I can get it to transition successfully into my tank. As long as one stem gets established and growing well, I can always make more of it!

M
Mona T. (United States)
Easy growing fully or partially submerged.

Can't go wrong with this beautiful, vibrant, and happy to grow column feeder!

J
Jacob N. (United States)
Beautiful

I ordered this lobelia based on the picture wine and after reading about it i found that it would usually stay purple when grown close to the surface of above water. The lobelia i received was a beautiful small clump with great roots and new growth and is still maintaining its lovely purple coloring!

S
Sy M. (United States)
Looked exactly like the photos

I got so much of it! I love this plants it's beautiful. Looks exactly like the picture, quality is great. It's been 3 days, no signs of melting. I believe I find my new aquatic plant store! Very happy with my purchase, so much so I ordered some other plants from them just 2 days later.

K
Kevin A. (United States)
Amazing delivery tine

I ordered 2 plants about a week ago, they came in yesterday well packaged and in great condition. Willing to shop for more aquatic plants again.

S
Selena (United States)
5 stars

So far so good! Keep in mind whoever purchases this, the purple will only stay if you keep it an emerged plant. Leaves will turn green submerged.

J
Joseph K. (United States)
Very upsetting.

They all died within the first week.

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Frequently Asked Questions