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Silene virginica, commonly known as fire pink or scarlet catchfly, is a short-lived native North American perennial wildflower in the Caryophyllaceae family, forming loose clumps with slender, weak, or reclining stems covered in sticky glandular hairs that can trap small insects. It features long, narrow, opposite leaves that are mostly basal with a few pairs along the stems, providing a simple, lance-shaped foliage backdrop. From late spring through early to mid-summer (typically April to July), it produces brilliant scarlet-red, tubular flowers in loose, open clusters at the stem tips, each with five deeply notched petals flaring outward from a sticky calyx, creating a vivid, eye-catching display. These vibrant blooms are highly attractive to hummingbirds, butterflies, and other pollinators, offering nectar during their peak flowering period. This adaptable species thrives in full sun to partial shade with well-drained soils, including rocky, sandy, or dry conditions, and is commonly found in open woodlands, rocky slopes, bluffs, meadows, or woodland edges, making it a striking addition to native gardens, rock gardens, or naturalistic plantings for its intense color and wildlife support.
ORIGIN - NC Native
EXPOSURE PREFERENCE - Shade, tolerates am sun
FLOWER COLOR - scarlet red
HEIGHT - 6-18"
HABIT - deciduous
MOISTURE - drought tolerant
HARDINESS ZONES - 4-8
Silene virginica, commonly known as fire pink or scarlet catchfly, is a short-lived native North American perennial wildflower in the Caryophyllaceae family, forming loose clumps with slender, weak, or reclining stems covered in sticky glandular hairs that can trap small insects. It features long, narrow, opposite leaves that are mostly basal with a few pairs along the stems, providing a simple, lance-shaped foliage backdrop. From late spring through early to mid-summer (typically April to July), it produces brilliant scarlet-red, tubular flowers in loose, open clusters at the stem tips, each with five deeply notched petals flaring outward from a sticky calyx, creating a vivid, eye-catching display. These vibrant blooms are highly attractive to hummingbirds, butterflies, and other pollinators, offering nectar during their peak flowering period. This adaptable species thrives in full sun to partial shade with well-drained soils, including rocky, sandy, or dry conditions, and is commonly found in open woodlands, rocky slopes, bluffs, meadows, or woodland edges, making it a striking addition to native gardens, rock gardens, or naturalistic plantings for its intense color and wildlife support.
ORIGIN - NC Native
EXPOSURE PREFERENCE - Shade, tolerates am sun
FLOWER COLOR - scarlet red
HEIGHT - 6-18"
HABIT - deciduous
MOISTURE - drought tolerant
HARDINESS ZONES - 4-8