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Cardinal Catchfly
Silene laciniata
  
8 Nurseries Carry This Plant

About Cardinal Catchfly (Silene laciniata) 8 Nurseries Carry This Plant Silene laciniata is a herbaceous flowering plant in the same family as carnations (Caryophyllaceae) that is commonly called Indian-pink, Mexican campion, or Mexican-pink. Many subspecies have been described in the past, and some of these names may still be in use. Presently, there are two recognized subspecies in California. Ssp. laciniata is found in the southern coastal part of the state from San Luis Obispo County to San Diego County and throughout much of the Baja peninsula. Ssp. californica is more often found in the central and northern parts of the state in hilly or mountainous areas including the Transverse Range, the Coast Ranges and the foothills of the Sierras. For gardening purposes, check with your nursery for the proper plants for your area.

Silenes develop a deep taproot that helps them get through a dry summer. They may go summer dormant or may stay green depending on conditions of shade, heat and moisture. The plant is valued for its bright red starburst flowers which are small but eye-catching. Silene often grows vine-like through adjacent plants to display its flowers in unexpected locations. Plant it where the small flowers will be most visible. It deserves to be used more often. The common name Catch-fly refers to the sticky hairy glands on the stems and leaves which sometimes trap tiny insects. It is not clear whether this contributes any nutrients to the plant.
Locate this plant behind something else, and let it grow forward to surprise the viewer with its luminous red flowers.
Plant Description
Plant Type
Plant Type
Annual herb, Perennial herb

Size
Size
2.3 ft tall
3 ft wide

Growth Rate
Growth Rate
Moderate

Dormancy
Dormancy
Summer Semi-Deciduous

Flower Color
Flower Color
Red

Flowering Season
Flowering Season
Spring, Summer

Wildlife Supported
 
Hummingbirds and butterflies and very attracted to the flowers.

 
Butterflies & moths hosted ( 3 likely * ) SHOW ALL
*
Hyles lineata Image
White-lined Sphinx Hyles lineataHyles lineata
*
Protorthodes rufula Image
Rufous Quaker Moth Protorthodes rufulaProtorthodes rufula
*
Melanchra adjuncta Image
Hitched Arches Melanchra adjunctaMelanchra adjuncta

Landscaping Information
Sun
Sun
Part Shade

Moisture
Moisture
Very Low

Summer Irrigation
Summer Irrigation
Max 2x / month once established

Nurseries
Nurseries
Carried by 8

Ease of Care
Ease of Care
Moderately Easy

Cold Tolerance
Cold Tolerance
Tolerates cold to 10° F

Soil Drainage
Soil Drainage
Fast, Medium

Soil Description
Soil Description
Prefers good drainage. Soil PH: 5.4 - 7.5

Common uses
Common uses
Deer Resistant, Hummingbird Gardens

Companion Plants
Companion Plants
Works well in a woodland or rock garden with other low growing plants in part shade, such as Meadow Rue (Thalicturm species), Yerba Buena (Clinopodium douglasii), Western Columbine (Aquilegia formosa), Monkeyflower (Mimulus cardinalis or guttatus). Can be planted under larger shrubs and allowed to grow up through them.

Propagation
Propagation?
Seeds, cuttings, root cuttings.  For propagating by seed: No treatment.

Natural Setting
Site Type
Site Type
Rocky to sandy areas from the coast to inland, most often in the understory of larger shrubs

Climate
Climate
Annual Precipitation: 9.8" - 127.1", Summer Precipitation: 0.14" - 3.60", Coldest Month: 24.6" - 56.4", Hottest Month: 45.5" - 80.7", Humidity: 0.03" - 29.25", Elevation: -58" - 11310"

Alternative Names
Common Names: Indian-pink, Mexican Campion, Mexican Catchfly, Mexican-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


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