This chance seedling takes a great plant, Lobelia cardinalis, and makes it even better until you will wonder how your landscape ever looked good without it! ‘Fried Green Tomatoes’ differs from the species in great ways like increased vigor, far more ease of establishment in the landscape, a strikingly different foliage color, and even more butterfly and hummingbird attracting bloom than the original. This plant emerges quickly to form a maroon colored, upright mound of foliage that keeps extending upward as summer approaches as it tops itself with spikes of flower buds. In mid to late June, the flowers being to open to reveal their brilliant red hue while the foliage simultaneously begins to turn a deep olive shade on top while maintaining its maroon coloration on leaf undersides. The result is a colorful bonanza for any sunny moist area of your garden made even brighter by those nectar seeking butterflies and hummingbirds. Immense amounts of flower stems per plant ensure a long bloom period on this extremely winter hardy perennial that will look fabulous grouped along streams and pond edges.