Silene latifolia

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Silene latifolia
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Caryophyllales Family: Caryophyllaceae Genus: Silene Species: S. latifolia
Binomial name
Silene latifolia Poir.

Silene latifolia, or White Campion, is a flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae, native to most of Europe, western Asia and north Africa. It is a herbaceous annual, occasionally biennial or a short-lived perennial plant, growing to between 40-80 cm tall.

The appearance depends on the age of the plant; when young they form a basal rosette of oval to lanceolate leaves 4-10 cm long, and when they get older, forked stems grow from these, with leaves in opposite pairs. The flowers grow in clusters at the tops of the stems, 2.5-3 cm diameter, with a distincitve inflated calyx and five white petals, each petal deeply notched; flowering lasts from late spring to early autumn. The entire plant is densely hairy. Occasional plants with pink flowers are usually hybrids with Red Campion (S. dioica).

White campion grows in most open habitats, particularly wasteland and fields, most commonly on neutral to alkaline soils. Despite the wide array of conditions campion can thrive in, it prefers sunny areas that have rich and well-drained soil.^[1] It is also named the Grave Flower or Flower of the Dead in parts of England as they are seen often growing on gravesites and around tombstones.

It is naturalised in North America, being found in most of the United States, the greatest concentrations of the plant can be found in the north-central and northeastern sections of the country.^[2]

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