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Key characteristics

Family: Caryophyllaceae
Height: 16–36 inches
Width: 12–18 inches
Flower color: Magenta to pink with a frilled star-like shape
Foliage color: Silvery-gray
Bloom time: June to August
Light: Full sun to light shade
Water: Drought-tolerant once established; appreciates supplemental moisture for best appearance
Maintenance: Deadhead spent flowers to promote continuous blooming; may self-seed prolifically
Growing zone: USDA zones 3–8
Wildlife: Butterflies, hummingbirds

Perennials

Lychnis coronaria

Rose Campion

Lychnis coronaria is a hardy perennial with silvery foliage and bold magenta to dark pink flowers. The plant features dense clusters of five-petaled blooms that appear in late spring to early summer, rising above its rosettes of soft, woolly, gray-green leaves. The flowers have a unique, almost iridescent quality that stands out in the garden. The silvery leaves provide a beautiful contrast to the bright blossoms, adding texture and interest to flower beds or borders.

Light

Full sun to light shade

Water

Drought-tolerant once established; appreciates supplemental moisture for best appearance

Bloom time

June to August

Find this plant

Works well in

Borders
Sun Gardens
Pollinator Gardens
Hummingbird Gardens
Waterwise Gardens

Companion plants

Coreopsis · Russian sage · Sedums · Peonies · Coneflowers · Salvias

Design tip

Foliage and form do most of the work here, so lean on texture and repetition rather than one flowering moment. Give it open sun and room to fill out, and repeat it in threes or fives so the planting reads as one sweep instead of scattered dots.

Printable plant sheet (PDF)