White Rose Campion Plants

White Rose Campion

Lychnis coronaria Alba is perfect if you live in a dry part of the country, on the coast or have a free-draining, poor sandy soil where it can be hard to find suitable plants. it holds the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit making Lychnis coronaria Alba an exceptionally good plant...

This white-flowered rose campion is an all-round performer with masses of 3cm wide flowers held on upright, grey, well-branched stems growing to 75cm from June-August. These rise from attractive mounds of ground covering grey, woolly leaves, which set off the flowers to perfection.

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Great In Your Garden...

The ideal site for Lychnis coronaria Alba is in full sun, in free-draining, poor soil - in fact, you get the best leaf colours the 'harsher' the conditions (once it is established, of course). Plant alongside other perennials that thrive in these conditions, such as Verbena bonariensis Lollipop or Echinops Arctic Glow. It will adore spots on dry sunny banks, at the front of south facing borders, in gravel or coastal gardens (NB it positively shrugs off salt-laden winds).

Like many cottage garden favourites, it is a prolific self-seeder, as it is a short-lived perennial, so you'll have plenty of new plants to replace the original without doing a thing! Lychnis will do well in a sunny border - try it with other perennials such as the shocking pink flat heads of Achillea Saucy Seduction or the purple Clustered Bellflower.

If you have heavy soils that stay wet in winter, grow it in large pots with added grit.

Features

• Colour: Pure white.
• Flowering: June to August.
• Foliage: Woolly, hairy grey leaves.
• Height: 75cm.
• Spread: 60cm.
• Spacing: 60cm.
• Position: Full sun.
• Soil: Poor and well-drained.
• Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit.

Did You Know...

Lychnis is taken from the Greek lychnos for 'lamp', as it was used in the past as a lamp wick. Coronaria means ‘belonging to garlands’.

Plant in full sun in poor, well-drained soil. Add organic matter and grit to improve drainage if necessary when planting 60cm apart. Water until established, then drought tolerant. Suitable for containers and windy and seaside gardens.

Overwatering may cause rotting. In early spring feed sparingly with a general-purpose fertiliser. Deadhead. Leave some flower heads to ripen if you want plants to self-seed. Protect against slugs.