ɪt wʌz ˌɪntɹədˈuːst tə jˈʊɹɹəp ɪnðə mˈɪd wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd sˈɪkshˈʌndɹɪd twˈɛnti z, wˌɛɹ ðə nˈeɪm kˈɑːɹdɪnəl flˈaʊɚ wʌz ɪn jˈuːs baɪ wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd sˈɪkshˈʌndɹɪd twˈɛnti nˈaɪn, lˈaɪkli dˈuː tə ðə sˌɪmɪlˈæɹᵻɾi ʌvðə flˈaʊɚz kˈʌlɚ tə ðə vˈɛstʃɚɹ ʌv ɹˈoʊmən kˈæθlɪk kˈɑːɹdɪnəlz.
It was introduced to Europe in the mid-1620s, where the name cardinal flower was in use by 1629, likely due to the similarity of the flower's color to the vesture of Roman Catholic Cardinals.