Silene coronaria explained

Silene coronaria, the rose campion, is a species of flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae, native to Eurasia. Other common names include dusty miller (which also refers to Centaurea cineraria and Jacobaea maritima), mullein-pink and bloody William. In the United Kingdom it is still widely referenced under its synonym Lychnis coronaria.

Description

It is a perennial growing to 80cm (30inches) tall by 45cm (18inches) wide, with grey felted leaves and single, bright magenta flowers produced in succession around July. Though short-lived, the plant readily self-seeds in favourable locations. It is sometimes grown as a biennial.^[1]

Etymology

The Latin coronaria means "used for garlands".^[2]

Cultivation

It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit,^[3] as has the white-flowered cultivar 'Alba'.^[4]

References

• Armitage, Allan M. (2001) Armitage's Manual of Annuals, Biennials, and Half Hardy Perennials, illustrated Asha Kays and Chris Johnson. Timber Press Inc., Singapore.
• Book: Bailey, L. H. . L. H. Bailey . Manual of Gardening (Second Edition). . 2005 . Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation.
• Book: Ellis, Barbara W. . Taylor's Guide to Annuals: How to Select and Grow More Than 400 Annuals, Biennials, and Tender Perennials . registration . Houghton Mifflin Company . 1999 . 978-0-395-94352-6 . New York, New York.
• Book: Pink, A. . Gardening for the Million. 2004 . Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation.

Notes and References

1. Book: RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants. 2008. Dorling Kindersley. United Kingdom. 978-1405332965. 1136.
2. Book: Harrison, Lorraine . RHS Latin for gardeners . Mitchell Beazley . 2012 . 9781845337315 . United Kingdom . 224.
3. Web site: Lychnis coronaria . www.rhs.org . Royal Horticultural Society . 12 April 2020.
4. Web site: Lychnis coronaria 'Alba' . RHS . 12 April 2020.