🌿 ROSE CAMPION (Lychnis coronaria) 🌿 (Updated)

Rose Campion
(Lychnis coronaria)
Growing at the Gatehouse garden
Shaw Island, San Juan Archipelago, WA.

Lychnis coronaria 

Herbaceous biennial.

Common names: Rose Campion, Mullein Pink, and in the U.K., "Bridget-in-her-bravery."  It is still widely referenced under the synonym Silene coronaria.

Native Region: Southern Europe
USDA Hardiness: Zone 3-10
Preferred Climate: Temperate

Bloom color: Rosy red.

Height: 28"-30" 

Environment: full sun to part shade.
Description: 
Rose Campion, well-loved for its long bloom season, comes reliably true from seed and makes an attractive accent in the garden. It seems rather elegant at times. This erect, woolly, silver-gray plant produces a succession of long-stalked, flowers from late spring through the summer and into autumn if deadheaded. This biennial reseeds itself reliably but doesn't become thuggish and may survive as a short-lived perennial. Height 24-36 inches; spread 18 inches.

Tolerates: deer, drought, dry soil, rocky soil.

Attracts: Butterflies, especially the Swallowtails, in my experience.

Pale Tiger Swallowtail
This day 30 June 2019
Gatehouse Garden, Shaw Island, WA.
Rose Campion.
Log House Plants, Cottage Grove, OR.,
 Bed & Breakfast Project tells of
this butterfly having only one generation
per year. They need host plants on which
they can lay eggs, "bed & breakfast"
plants specific to each species, where the
young caterpillars can feed and grow until 
becoming chrysalides & then butterflies.
This butterfly was observed feeding on
two plants of Red Campion for over
two hours at the Gatehouse Garden,
Reefnet Bay Road, Shaw Island. 

Culture: Red Campion is easily grown in average, medium, well-drained soil in full sun, but will take some light shade. Prefers moist soil, but will tolerate some dryness. 

Cultivation:
Sow seed in situ in spring, or start in containers in a cold frame. Since it is classified as a self-seeder, seeds can be cast out successfully in the autumn. Nothing ever seems to bother this plant.

Let the last blooms go to seed so the Lychnis will re-seed itself. If re-seeding is not desired, cut the stems back to basal growth after flowering.

"When we plant butterfly host plants and nectar-rich flowers, clean up the garden carefully--being aware and protective of small caterpillars and chrysalides. By voiding the use of pesticides and herbicides, our gardens can become havens for the butterflies of the Northwest, places where they can safely feed, mate, and bring up their next generations." 

Log House Plants/ OR.

Shaw Island connection: Elizabeth Jones grew this flower in her natural garden, where this writer observed them growing happily without deer fence protection.