Ladder Campion Care

Silene latifolia is a dioecious flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae, native to most of Europe, Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is a herbaceous annual, occasionally biennial or a short-lived perennial plant, growing to between 40–80 centimetres tall. It is also known in the US as bladder campion but should not be confused with Silene vulgaris, which is more generally called bladder campion.

Silene latifolia (White Campion) is an upright, semi-evergreen biennial or short-lived perennial with elliptic leaves and clusters of white flowers, 1 in. across (2.5 cm), slightly scented in the evening. Blooming from late spring to late summer, each blossom is adorned with 5 spreading petals partially cleft and an inflated, prominently veined, pale green calyx. Rich in pollen, they attract butterflies and other pollinating insects. This wildflower spreads by reseeding itself. Lovely when illuminated by a night light, White Campion is a great addition to mixed borders.

This plant might be poisonous

How to get rid of: Under dry conditions, weeds sliced off just below the soil line promptly shrivel up and die, especially if your hoe has a sharp edge. In mulched beds, use an old steak knife to sever weeds from their roots, then patch any open spaces left in the mulch.