Small-flowered Catchfly
Silene gallica
Also listed as Corone gallica, Oncerum gallicum
Also known as Windmill Pink, French Catchfly, Gunpowder Weed
Climate Match for your location
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A delicate annual wildflower with small pink or white five-petaled flowers and narrow leaves. It thrives in poor, dry soils and naturalizes easily in sunny, disturbed areas.
Why grow it
Small-flowered Catchfly establishes readily in marginal sites where many ornamentals struggle, making it useful for stabilizing poor, compacted, or sandy soils with minimal soil preparation. Compared to related Silene species, it requires less water once established and flowers prolifically in full sun with little fertilizer input. Its ability to self-seed can reduce annual replanting labor in casual or naturalized plantings.
Watch out for
In very moist conditions or dense plantings, watch for fungal issues like powdery mildew, which benefits from improved air circulation rather than intervention. Deadheading spent flowers will extend bloom but is optional if volunteer seedlings the following season are acceptable.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Caryophyllaceae
Native Range
Mediterranean
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Season of Interest
Herb
Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
A delicate annual wildflower with small pink or white five-petaled flowers and narrow leaves. It thrives in poor, dry soils and naturalizes easily in sunny, disturbed areas.
Climate Match for your location
See how well Small-flowered Catchfly grows in your area.
Enter your ZIP code and we'll show you how this plant fits your local climate.
Why grow it
Small-flowered Catchfly establishes readily in marginal sites where many ornamentals struggle, making it useful for stabilizing poor, compacted, or sandy soils with minimal soil preparation. Compared to related Silene species, it requires less water once established and flowers prolifically in full sun with little fertilizer input. Its ability to self-seed can reduce annual replanting labor in casual or naturalized plantings.
Watch out for
In very moist conditions or dense plantings, watch for fungal issues like powdery mildew, which benefits from improved air circulation rather than intervention. Deadheading spent flowers will extend bloom but is optional if volunteer seedlings the following season are acceptable.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Caryophyllaceae
Native Range
Mediterranean
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Season of Interest
Herb
Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
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