At a glance
Essentials
- Size
- Height of 30 to 90 cm. Flowers 1.8 to 2.5 cm in diameter. The range may vary with age, sex and population.
- Distribution
- Native to central, northern, and western Europe; locally present in southern Europe. Found in the British Isles and continental Portugal. Introduced to the Americas.
- Habitat
- Forest edges, hedges, clearings, rocky slopes, and road verges. Prefers moist and non-acidic soils.
- Activity
- Flowers are visited by pollinators such as bumblebees, butterflies, and flies. Short-tongued bumblebees sometimes chew holes in the calyx to access the nectar.
- Diet
- Larvae of the Lychnis moth feed on developing seeds. Several species of moths consume the foliage.
- Conservation
- Common and adaptable in the United Kingdom, with no major conservation threats at the national level. In continental Portugal, it is not protected by specific legislation.
Observation guide
What to look for
- 01
Flowers of pink to red color with five deeply notched petals, giving them an appearance of nearly ten petals.
- 02
Inflated ovoid calyx, often with purple veins and covered in sticky hairs.
- 03
Opposite and decussate leaves, oval to lanceolate in shape, with entire margins and hairy surfaces.
- 04
Dioecious plant: individuals bear exclusively male flowers or exclusively female flowers.
Lighting, age and viewing angle can hide features. If identification affects consumption, handling or conservation, consult specialist sources.
Ecology
Description and characteristics
Silene dioica is a herbaceous dioecious plant, meaning that male and female flowers develop on separate individuals. This species, belonging to the family Caryophyllaceae, is native to Europe and has been introduced to the Americas. It is characterized as a biennial or perennial plant reaching heights of 30 to 90 centimeters, with branched stems and a hairy and slightly sticky texture on the stems and leaves. The leaves are simple, with entire margins, and arranged in opposite and decussate pairs; the upper leaves are sessile. Flowering occurs from May to October, presenting odorless flowers of dark pink to red color, with a diameter of 1.8 to 2.5 cm. Each flower has five petals deeply notched at the apex and narrowed at the base, inserted in an urn-shaped calyx. The fruit is an ovoid capsule containing numerous seeds that opens at the apex via ten teeth that curve backwards.