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Silene coronaria

Bloody William · Crown Pink · Dusty-miller

Family CaryophyllaceaeGenus Silene

A loose clump of silver-gray felted leaves and stems carrying magenta flowers with pale centers, in bare soil against a brick wall.
The whole plantnl:Gebruiker:AlgontCC BY-SA 3.0

About the plant

What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.

The plant

Habit
Herbaceous Perennial, PerennialExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Habit
biennial or perennialPlants of the World Online
Height
2-3 ft60-90 cmExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Spread
1.3-2 ft40-60 cmExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Flower
Pink, Purple/Lavender, Red/Burgundy, WhiteExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Blooms
SummerExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Native range
Albania, Bulgaria, Czechia-Slovakia, Greece, Hungary, Iran and elsewhereGBIF Backbone Taxonomy
Hardiness zones
4-10Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox

Growing conditions

Sun
Full sun; Partial ShadeExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Soil
Clay, Loam (Silt), Sand, Shallow RockyExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Moisture
Good Drainage, Occasionally Dry, Very DryExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Sources: Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — NC State Extension; Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Worth knowing

  • Coronaria means "used for garlands". Rose campion, also called mullein-pink and bloody William, is still widely known in Britain as Lychnis coronaria, and it and its white form 'Alba' hold the RHS Award of Garden Merit. Wikipedia: Silene coronaria

Protocol

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1998

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

  1. Dry storage

    Duration: 1095 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

about 3 years from start to sowing. Then 6 days to germinate.

77% germination in 4–6 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Lychnis p. 46Public domain
Show the original text
Lychnis (Caryophyllaceae). L. coronaria DS 4 y germ. 20% in 2nd w in 70D. A second sample DS 3 y germ. 70D(77% in 4-6 d). - ,
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Lychnis p. 46. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

How each step is done, in Deno’s words, and what Verified and Derived mean.

Germination trials

Readers’ own records of sowing this species, published after review. Share your trial · All trials

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