Plants

Plants around the garden

Rose Campion

Lychnis coronaria

Synonym(s)	Silene coronaria
Common name	rose campion
Family	caryophyllaceae
Life cycle	perennial (Z3-8)
Flowers	magenta (summer)
Size	3'
Light	full to partial sun
Cultural notes	drought tolerant once established
From seed	germinate at room temperature detailed seed-starting info below
Seed ripens	late August

From each little velvety silver-gray rosette of this stunning spring blooming perennial sprouts a long stemmed stalk with in-your-face magenta flowers. A tough ornamental cottage garden plant that likes to spread itself around. Before it blooms, it is often mistaken for lamb's ear, but it has somewhat less succulent, pointier leaves that are more felty than woolly. A couple years ago, I traded for seed of 'Angel Blush', which is supposed to be a two-tone white/pink - but it didn't come true.