Silene caroliniana

Common Names

Wild Pink, Sticky Catchfly, Carolina Campion, American Pink, Carolina Catchfly, Catchfly

Summary

Silene caroliniana is a tufted, low-mounding wildflower native to eastern and central North America, it forms compact clumps with narrow lance-shaped basal leaves and ascending stems that reach roughly 6–12 inches in height and spread, bearing loose clusters of rosy pink flowers with five spreading petals above the foliage, a glandular, sticky calyx gives distinctive texture and appears in names such as sticky catchfly and wild pink, in cultivation it prefers full sun to partial shade and well-drained soils, tolerating drought once established and favoring sandy or rocky substrates, it is pest- and disease-free with low maintenance and hardy in USDA zones 5–8, useful in rock gardens, borders, wildflower or native plant gardens, cottage gardens, and as ground cover, it attracts butterflies and hummingbirds along with other pollinators, propagation is by seeds or root division

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

6-12 inches

Spread

6-12 inches

Hardiness Zones

Zones 5-8

Sunlight Requirements

Full Sun to Partial Shade.

Soil Type

Well-drained soil, preferably sandy or gravelly, with an acidic to neutral pH.

Soil Drainage

Well-drained to extremely well-drained soil, sandy or rocky soils are preferred.

Soil pH

Tolerates a wide pH range (acidic to alkaline)

Bloom Color

Pink (occasionally white)

Bloom Time

Spring to Summer

Foliage Color

Green

Fall Foliage Color

Green

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

Medium

Seasons of Interest

Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Cuttings, Division

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and other pollinators.