Plant Details
Silene Regia
Common name: Royal Catchfly
Brilliant red, 2 in. flowers bloom June-August providing nectar for butterflies and hummingbirds. The sticky flowers trap small insects, giving the plant its common name. This plant is similar to Fire Pink (Silene virginica) except Royal Catchfly is taller and blooms later in the season. Unlike Fire Pink, Royal Catchfly prefers being planted in a prepared bed with companions. It does best with companion plants like Little Bluestem, Prairie Dropseed, or Missouri Black-eyed Susans to help support it. It naturally occurs on savannahs. A relatively short-lived plant that will self-sow.
Culture:
Grow in full sun in very well-drained soil. Will grow in sandy soil and gravel.
Use:
An excellent garden plant and a great addition to a perennial border, butterfly garden, naturalized area, prairie or wildflower meadow.
Height:
24 to 36 inches
Spread:
12 to 18 inches
Color:
Red
USDA Hardiness Zone:
4 - 7
Good Companion Plants
- Tall Larkspur (Delphinium exaltatum)
- Blue Sage (Salvia azurea)
- Missouri Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia missouriensis)
- Gray-head Coneflower (Ratibida pinnata)
- Wild Quinine (Parthenium integrifolium)
- Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)
Characteristics and Attributes
Sun Exposure:
Full Sun
Season of Interest:
Late (July - frost)
Soil Moisture:
Average
Wildlife Benefit:
Butterfly Nectar
Nature Attracting:
Butterfly
Hummingbird
