Silene schafta

Silene schafta, also known as the Caucasian Catchfly, is a low-growing perennial ground cover that forms magenta-pink cushions in late summer, beautifully overflowing rocky crevices, borders, and walls. It is still decorative when not flowering, with dense, lanceolate, semi-evergreen, beautiful vibrant green foliage. This creeping perennial is very hardy and thrives in well-drained, light soil, exposed to full sun. It even tolerates temporary drought, and limestone. An effortless and highly successful plant.

Silene is a small hardy plant that doesn't mind the cold and retains its foliage all year round in mild climates. It can thrive in ordinary, light, moist, or slightly dry soil. It also tolerates limestone. Its only requirement is the sun.

This herbaceous perennial has flexible stems that grow up to 15-30 cm (6-12in) high and spread over 30 cm (12in) wide. They bear simple, lanceolate, opposite leaves 1 cm (0in) long. Together they form a beautiful vibrant green, thick and rounded cushion that carpets the base. Pink to magenta flowers emerge from this compact tuft with a flattened corolla composed of 5 slightly notched petals that open widely and emerge from a swollen and elongated calyx of the same deep hue. They are small but numerous, and provide a burst of colour all summer. It prefers growing in walls (with minimal substrate and avoiding excessive exposure to heat), along the borders of flower beds and terraces, in rockeries and in pots and half-barrels.

Silene schafta is great for adding touches of colour everywhere, around pathways and focal points. It forms beautiful carpets for summer bulbs or roses, whose bases are often bare. It also goes with Lilies, Gladioli, and Agapanthus. In a rockery, you can plant it with Aster rugulosus Asrugo and a collection of Moss Phlox to extend the flowering period.