Royal Catchfly has showy, brilliant red flowers that attract hummingbirds and butterflies such as the Black Swallowtail. It is ideal for butterfly gardens, open woods, rocky soils, borders, and prairies. It gets its name from the sticky calyx on its leaves, which can trap or catch small insects; but It seems its main purpose is to deter ants from climbing to the flower to steal nectar. 

A rare plant native to the United States’ Midwest, it will adapt to hardiness zone 5 environments. It blooms in late August, and deadheading will extend the plant’s blooming period.

Quick Growing Guide

Botanical Name: Silene regia

En français: Silène regia

Colour:

Blooms:

Sun / Shade:

Water: Do not let the seeds get dry

Hardiness Zones:

Care

Keep young royal catchfly plants moist. Stems emerge from a perennial crown that sits atop a deep taproot. As with literally all plants with a deep tap root, Silene regia is drought tolerant. If you water the plant, water it deeply to reach the crown and tap root. There may be several rosettes and shoots as the crown grows in size, but Royal Catchfly does not produce horizontal rhizomes.

Propagation

You can propagate royal catchfly by dividing the crown and transplant it in March. You will have more success by dividing mature plants which have crowns with a number of rosettes and shoots.

It is easliy propagated by seed. If you obtain seeds, do not allow them to dry out.

Comments

Leave a Reply

More From Gardening Calendar

Partridgeberry

Plant partridgeberry to add interest to your garden with its glossy foliage, flowers, and fruit. Native to the eastern US, it's an evergreen ground cover that thrives in woodland/shade gardens, under trees, and in part-shade border fronts or rock gardens. Learn the best tips for successful planting and growing of this plant!

Abundant Lemon Verbena

Explore the aromatic world of lemon verbena, a beloved garden plant with intense lemon-flavored oils. Learn how to grow, overwinter, and incorporate this amazing herb into your culinary creations.

Choosing Flowers to Match One’s Personality: Tulips vs. Orchids

Add meaning and beauty to any event or home decor with a flower that perfectly suits your personality. Discover why tulips vs orchids are popular blooms and how their symbolism can be used to show feelings of love and friendship. Plus, learn the deeper meaning behind their colors including red, yellow, pink, white, purple, orange, and even black!