Cardinal Catchfly, Silene laciniata ssp. laciniata

About Cardinal Catchfly (Silene laciniata ssp. laciniata) 1 Nurseries Carry This Plant

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Cardinal Catchfly (Silene laciniata ssp. laciniata) is a native perennial herb that grows in northern, southern and central California at elevations from 0-3900 feet. Silene laciniata ssp. californica is found primarily in the northern part of the state and the Sierra foothills. Ssp. laciniata is primarily found along the central to southern coast. It forms a thick taproot from which an upright or straggling, branching and slightly sticky stem emerges. Larger leaves are typically held on the lower portion of the stem and are triangular or lance shaped. The flowers, though small, are dramatic; though the common name suggests they are pink, in fact they are typically a deep crimson. Very common in its preferred habitat, often in the partial shade of boulders, taller grasses or larger shrubs. Sometimes only the flowers are visible through surrounding vegetation.

Plant Description

Plant Type

Annual herb, Perennial herb

Size

1.6 - 3.2 ft tall
1.5 ft wide

Form

Spreading

Growth Rate

Fast

Dormancy

Summer Deciduous

Fragrance

None

Flower Color

Red, Pink

Flowering Season

Spring, Summer

Wildlife Supported

Hummingbirds, insects
Butterfly host plants

Butterflies & moths hosted ( 1 likely * ) SHOW ALL

Rufous Quaker Moth Protorthodes rufulaProtorthodes rufula

Landscaping Information

Sun

Full Sun

Moisture

Very Low

Summer Irrigation

Max 1x / month once established

Nurseries

Carried by 1

Ease of Care

Moderately Easy

Cold Tolerance

Tolerates cold to 30° F

Soil Drainage

Fast, Medium

Soil Description

Likes sandy soil but is adaptable. Soil PH: 6.0 - 7.0

Companion Plants

Chamise, Woolly Bluecurls, White Sage, California Buckwheat, California Coffeeberry, Toyon, Lemonade Berry, Coastal Prickly Pear Cactus, Manzanita species, Yucca spp, various native grasses

Propagation?

For propagating by seed: No treatment.

Sunset Zones?

7, 14, 15*, 16*, 17*, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24,

Natural Setting

Site Type

Coastal bluffs, marine terraces, canyons, foothills and mesas of southern California in typical chaparral or sage scrub conditions

Climate

Annual Precipitation: 9.8" - 46.1", Summer Precipitation: 0.14" - 2.99", Coldest Month: 24.6" - 56.4", Hottest Month: 45.5" - 80.7", Humidity: 0.47" - 29.25", Elevation: -58" - 11310"

Alternative Names

Botanical Names: Silene laciniata ssp. major;Silene laciniata ssp. major
Common Names: In Fact They Are Typically A Deep Crimson, Southern Indian Pink, Suggests They Are Pink

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Sources include: Wikipedia. All text shown in the "About" section of these pages is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Plant observation data provided by the participants of the California Consortia of Herbaria, Sunset information provided by Jepson Flora Project. Propogation from seed information provided by the Santa Barbara Botanical Garden from "Seed Propagation of Native California Plants" by Dara E. Emery. Sources of plant photos include CalPhotos, Wikimedia Commons, and independent plant photographers who have agreed to share their images with Calscape. Other general sources of information include Calflora, CNPS Manual of Vegetation Online, Jepson Flora Project, Las Pilitas, Theodore Payne, Tree of Life, The Xerces Society, and information provided by CNPS volunteer editors, with special thanks to Don Rideout. Climate data used in creation of plant range maps is from PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University, using 30 year (1981-2010) annual "normals" at an 800 meter spatial resolution.

Links: Jepson eFlora Taxon Page CalPhotos Wikipedia Calflora

Cardinal Catchfly

Silene laciniata ssp. laciniata

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Cardinal CatchflySilene laciniata ssp. laciniata

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Cardinal Catchfly

Silene laciniata ssp. laciniata