Campion

Campion is a study in contrasts. Its flowers are neon-brilliant, in magentas, bright yellows, oranges, reds, and white. And then the foliage is often silvery gray, which sets off the flowers strikingly. The showy flowers are borne singly, in pairs or clusters. The most popular campions have silvery foliage, but the lance-shape leaves can also be dark green.

Campion tends to be short-lived but seeds itself freely, which may be a blessing or a curse. The plant does best in areas with cooler summers.

Light:

Sun,Part Sun

Zones:

3-8

Plant Type:

Perennial

Plant Height:

8 inches to 4 feet tall

Plant Width:

1-2 feet wide

Bloom Time:

Blooms late spring and mid- to late summer, depending on variety

Landscape Uses:

Containers,Beds & Borders,Groundcover

Special Features:

Flowers,Attractive Foliage,Cut Flowers,Attracts Hummingbirds,Attracts Butterflies,Drought Tolerant,Deer Resistant,Easy to Grow

Top Varieties

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'Lumina Bronze Leaf Red' campion

Lychnis x haageana 'Lumina Bronze Leaf Red' is a short-lived perennial with bright red flowers over contrasting bronze foliage. It grows 1 foot tall. Zones 4-8
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Maltese cross

Lychnis chalcedonica bears round clusters of bright scarlet-orange flowers atop leafy stems. Flowers may also be white or pink, and some are double. Pairs of rough lance-shape leaves clasp the 3-foot-tall stems. Self-seeds freely. Zones 3-8
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Ragged robin

Lychnis flos-cuculi makes basal rosettes of grassy grayish foliage. In summer, loose clusters of deeply cut rosy-lavender flowers bloom, giving a ragged effect. Ragged robin needs damp soil and is effective in wild gardens. It may reach 2 feet tall. Zones 3-7
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Rose campion

Lychnis coronaria has woolly silver leaves in brilliant contrast to its 1-inch screaming magenta flowers. This short-lived perennial seeds itself freely. It may reach 3 feet tall. Zones 3-8
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Garden Plans

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Easy Slope Garden Plan
Fragrant Entry Garden Plan
Seaside Problem-Solving Garden Plan
Colorful Front Entry Garden Plan 2

Plant It With

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Daylily

Yellow, gold, and brownish varieties of daylily provide lovely color combinations with contrasting flower shapes for orange and red campions in full sun.

Salvia

'Blue Hill' salvia sports upright spikes of small, two-lipped pale blue flowers that play off well against campion's vibrant tones. They enjoy similar conditions.

Shasta daisy

The large white daisy flowers of Shasta daisy combine well with most types of campion, but especially with Maltese cross.

Propagation

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Seed
Division
Stem Cuttings
Leaf Cuttings