Red Campion
Red Campion on a hedgebank
Closer view
Female flower - 5 styles
Calyx tube of female flower - 20-veined
Male flower - 10 anthers, narrow calyx teeth
Male flowers - 10-veined calyx tube
Front view - calyx teeth
Seeds in capsules
Leaves
Silene dioica
Caryophyllaceae
March to November
In mild winter it will flower all year, especially in the
Southwest.
It is found throughout the country.
See the BSBI distribution map for Red Campion
It is common in hedges, woodland, wasteland and on
shingle, rocks, cliffs and grassland by the sea and by
rivers, footpaths and roads.
Red Campion is a very attractive, native, perennial herb
growing up to 1m, but usually shorter.
The flower is dioecious (male and female on separate
plants), up to 2.5cm across and is in various shades
of rose-pink.
Petals are deeply cleft.
Often the reproductive parts of the flowers are not seen
with only the calyx teeth visible.
Female flowers have 5 linear, white, styles. The calyx tube
is slighly rounder than in the male flower and has 20 veins.
The white calyx teeth are triangular and broader in the
female flower.
Male flowers have 10 stamens with beige anthers and the
calyx tube is 10-veined.
Capsules are brown round ovals. Seeds are black and
released from 10 holes.
Leaves are lanceolate and hairy and can be dark green,
leathery and shiny.
The bladder that forms the seed capsule is not as large as
in White or Bladder Campion.
Red Campion on a hedgebank
Closer view
Female flower - 5 styles
Calyx tube of female flower - 20-veined
Male flower - 10 anthers, narrow calyx teeth
Male flowers - 10-veined calyx tube
Front view - calyx teeth
Seeds in capsules
Leaves
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