Silene Maritima

Description

The 'Sea Campion' is an ideal flower for a rockery, bank or wall, where it will display its disproportionately large, white frilly flowers, nestling on cushions of grey leaves for a long period in spring and early summer, the single, comparatively large, white flowers giving a star-studded appearance to this low-growing perennial. The tiny grey-green leaves form a dense clump that will die back in the winter months and re-appear in the spring. This hardy little treasure is native to the UK where it is to be found in coastal areas, appearing on cliffs, rocky outcrops and even sand dunes.

Sowing Advice

Seeds can be sown at any time but are best sown in winter or early spring to benefit from a cold spell in the wet compost to break their dormancy. We advise covering seeds very thinly with sand or fine grit to about the depth of the seed size. If the seeds do not come up within 6 to 12 weeks the damp seed tray can be given cold treatment in a fridge for about four weeks. They may still take very many months to appear, so please never discard the pot or tray.

Key Facts