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Lychnis spp.

campion

Caryophyllaceae Temperate Europe and Asia

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Butterflies Attracts Hummingbirds Deer Resistant Drought Tolerant

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterLow · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 3–8

Overview

Lychnis spp. is a genus of perennial and occasionally biennial herbs in the pink family (Caryophyllaceae), native across temperate Europe, Asia, and into Arctic North America. Many botanists now place its species within Silene spp., though the name Lychnis spp. remains in wide horticultural use. Plants form basal clumps and erect flowering stems 12-48 inches (30-120 cm) tall, depending on species. Leaves are opposite, lance-shaped to oval, and range from smooth green to densely white-woolly, as in L. coronaria. Flowers have five petals that are often notched, fringed, or deeply cut, and span scarlet, magenta, rose-pink, orange, and white across the genus; L. chalcedonica carries flat heads of scarlet flowers, while L. flos-cuculi bears pink flowers with ragged, finely divided petals. Bloom comes mainly in late spring and summer. Some species are short-lived and persist through self-sown seed, and several self-seed enough to naturalize in meadows and disturbed ground. Plants grow in full sun to light shade in well-drained soil and tolerate poor, dry sites once established. The open flowers draw butterflies and other pollinators. Foliage of the woolly species can rot in humid, wet summers.

Native Range

Native to temperate and cold regions of Europe and Asia, with a few species reaching Arctic and alpine North America. Several species, including L. coronaria and L. chalcedonica, have naturalized in North America from garden plantings.

Suggested Uses

Grown in cottage gardens, mixed borders, and wildflower meadows, where the upright stems combine with other summer perennials. The scarlet-flowered species are used as vertical accents, and the woolly gray foliage of L. coronaria contrasts with green-leaved neighbors. Several species naturalize in informal plantings.

How to Identify

Recognized by opposite leaves on swollen stem nodes and five-petaled flowers whose petals are notched, fringed, or deeply cut. Flower color runs to scarlet, magenta, and rose across the genus, set above a tubular, often ribbed calyx. L. coronaria is identified by its silvery white-woolly leaves and stems, while L. chalcedonica bears dense flat-topped clusters of scarlet flowers.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height1' - 4'

Width/Spread8" - 1'6"

Colors

Flower Colors

red

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~6 weeks

Spring Summer

Flowering occurs from late spring into summer, roughly May to August, with peak bloom across June and July. Individual plants flower for four to eight weeks, and deadheading can extend the display and limit self-seeding. L. flos-cuculi blooms earliest, in late spring, while L. chalcedonica peaks in midsummer.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

scarlet, magenta, rose-pink, orange, or white

Foliage Description

green to silvery-gray

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 6-10 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range6.0 - 7.5(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam sand chalk

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

Flowers in the first or second year from seed; clumps mature in two to three years

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grows in full sun to light afternoon shade, flowering most heavily in open sun. Soil should be well-drained and of average fertility, with a pH near 6.0-7.5; the woolly-leaved species rot in soils that stay wet. Drought is tolerated once plants are established, though steady moisture produces fuller growth. Many species are short-lived, lasting two to four years, and renew themselves from self-sown seedlings. Aphids and root rot in poorly drained ground are the main problems. Dividing clumps every few years maintains vigor in the perennial species.

Pruning

Spent flower stems can be cut back after bloom to encourage repeat flowering in some species and to reduce self-seeding. Foliage can be sheared to basal growth in late autumn or left standing for winter. Removing seed heads before they ripen limits spread into surrounding beds.