Silene conoidea is a species of flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae known by the common names weed silene and large sand catchfly. It is native to Eurasia, and it is known in other parts of the world, such as western North America, as a weed.
It is an annual herb growing up to a meter in height with a hairy, partially glandular stem. The lance-shaped leaves are up to 12 centimeters long near the base of the plant and smaller farther up. The flower is enclosed in an inflated, hairy, glandular calyx of fused sepals which is ridged with many veins. It is open at the top, revealing five bright pink petals.
This plant might be poisonous
How to get rid of:
Every square inch of your garden contains weed seeds, but only those in the top inch or two of soil get enough light to trigger germination. Digging and cultivating brings hidden weed seeds to the surface, so assume weed seeds are there ready to erupt, like ants from an upset anthill, every time you open a patch of ground. Dig only when you need to and immediately salve the disturbed spot with plants or mulch.
In lawns, minimize soil disturbance by using a sharp knife with a narrow blade to slice through the roots of dandelions and other lawn weeds to sever their feed source rather than digging them out. Keep in mind that weed seeds can remain dormant for a long, long time.
