Taxonomic Name: Silene regia

Common Name: Royal Catchfly

Type: Herbaceous Perennial

Garden: Willow Prairie

Zone: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

Bloom Time: July to September

Height: 24-48 inches

Light Requirements: Full sun, Morning sun with afternoon shade

Soil Conditions: Tolerates periodic drought, Average well-drained soil

Flower Color: Red

Wildlife: Hummingbirds

Special Characteristics:

• The beauty of this plant is the bright red tubular star-shaped flowers that draw in the pollinators. A late summer beauty especially grown en masse. Unassuming green lanceolate foliage sits opposite and alternates. The fascinating thing about this native is that it contains a stickiness (the Catchfly part) that small insects get caught in. It is related to some of the carnivorous natives. The plant enzymes breakdown the insects but don't absorb any nutrients from them. One thought is that the plant uses this mechanism to prevent those smaller insects from eating the foliage. *BLOOMS ALL SUMMER