code: 795
compact and very easy to grow!
Family: Caryophyllaceae
Common name: Sticky Catchfly, Wild pink, Carolina Pink
Plant Classification: Hardy perennial
Maximum Height: 30 cm
This “catchfly” is a densely mounded herbaceous perennial producing profuse, brilliant pink, carnation-like flowers from early May into June and July. It is an ideal substitute for Dianthus, and is indeed a relative, having a similar appearance and bloom time, but tolerating a wider variety of garden situations. Delightful, compact and very easy to grow!
Sowing advice:
For best results, sow seeds immediately onto a good soil-based compost. Cover the seeds with fine grit or compost to approximately their own depth. They can be sown at any time, and germination can sometimes be quicker if kept at 15 to 20 degrees C. However, we sow most seeds in an unheated greenhouse and wait for natural germination as many seeds have built-in dormancy mechanisms, and often wait for spring before emerging regardless of when they are sown. But spring sowing will obviously give them a full season of growth if successful germination occurs.
Information:
Bloom Time: April to May
Bloom Description: Pink
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Dry to medium
Maintenance: Medium
Flower: Showy
Attracts: Butterflies
Tolerate: Drought, Dry Soil, Shallow-Rocky Soil
Culture
Grow in average, dry to medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Prefers sunny sites in dryish sandy or gravelly soils with some part afternoon shade. Tolerant of some drought once established. Requires excellent drainage. Plants are best left undisturbed once established.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Silene caroliniana, commonly called wild pink, Carolina campion, or catchfly, is a low, mounded wildflower which is native to eastern and central North America. It somewhat resembles woodland phlox. Loose clusters of rose-pink flowers with five spreading wedge-shaped petals appear in mid to late spring atop sticky flowering stems rising to 10″ tall. Tufts of narrow, lance-shaped basal leaves (to 4″ long) with smaller paired stem leaves. An important early nectar source for butterflies and other insect pollinators.
Silene caroliniana var. wherryi is native to Missouri in the central Ozark region.
Genus name means catchfly or campion.
Specific epithet means of North Carolina or South Carolina.
