My Corner Online

Silene Caroliniana | Wild Pink, Carolina campion, Sticky Catchfly

I only had this flower one year and it bloomed March 30, 2017. This was the year we tried painting flower names on rocks and I loved the look, but they did not stay until the next year.

Silene Caroliniana | Wild Pink, Carolina campion, Sticky Catchfly

Caryophyllaceae (Pink or Carnation Family) Pronounced Carry-o-fuh-lace-ee-eye

I thought it resembled Phlox, but it seems to be in the same family as the Dianthus. This makes sense because I often confuse Creeping Phlox and Dianthus as they grow similarly and to the same height.

It is native to the Eastern United States.

The leaves form a low tufted, clumping, mound and are lance-shaped. It is a ground cover type of plant.

The plant is sometimes called Sticky Catchfly because of the sticky hairs on the calyx (aka sepals which are the supporting leaves under the flower) that look like fly paper (aka that yellow stuff we put out to catch flies and gnats). This sticky surface actually deters ants from climbing into the flower to steal nectar.

I kept the tag and it looks like something I would have gotten at the native plant sale.