Silene latifolia
| Silene latifolia | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |  |
| Hardiness: | 6 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Cross Pollinated | |
| Height: | 2' |
| Blooms: | Late Spring-Early Fall |
| Native to: | |
| Shelter | |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Silene latifolia (common name: white campion)
Propagation: Seed - sow early spring in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer.
Division in spring. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found it best to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in a lightly shaded position in a cold frame, planting them out once they are well established in the summer.
Cultivation: Succeeds in any good sweet loam in a sunny position[1][2].
Plants tend to be short-lived and are sometimes only annual[2].
Hybridizes readily with S. dioica[3]. The plant attracts moths[3].
The smut, Ustilago violacea, causes the production of stamens in female flowers, but violet spores of the fungus replace the pollen grains[3].
Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required.
Range: Most of Europe, including Britain, to N. Africa and W. Asia.
Habitat: Hedges, waste places and cultivated land[3].
Usage: The root is used as a soap substitute for washing clothes etc[4][5]. The soap is obtained by simmering the root in hot water.
Pollinators: Lepidoptera
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Seed Ripens: Mid Summer-Mid Fall
Flower Type: Dioecious
Known Hazards: Although no mention of toxicity has been seen for this species, it does contain saponins. Although toxic, these substances are very poorly absorbed by the body and so tend to pass through without causing harm. They are also broken down by thorough cooking
Also Known As: S. alba. Lychnis alba. L. vespertina. Melandrium album.
Links
References
- ↑ Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Clapham, Arthur and Tom Tootin, Edmund Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press, 1962.
- ↑ Uphof, Johannes. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim, 1959.
- ↑ Usher, George. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable, 1974.