Known by the scientific name of Lychnis coronaria, Rose Campion has been used for decoration of the garden for a reasonably long time. It is a short-lived plant that seeds heavily. Lychnis’ name refers to the fact that the leaves were used as lamps wicks times ago, while Coronaria is a Greek word that means used for the garlands. Rose Campion offers excellent looks to your garden and adds three four different brilliant colors as well. Its ability to thrive even in the poorest of the soil makes it an extremely popular grown Campion. Although you would have to wait out the first year to enjoy a full blossom. But even without the flowers, the foliage is enough to add the texture to your garden.
The Rose Campion is a native to North of Africa, South of Europe, and the Middle Eastern Region. However, the ability to grow quickly has made it popular in many parts of the United States as well. It is a little sensitive to the cold weather, so hardiness zones from Zone 5 to Zone 8 are considered ideal for the U.S Department of Agriculture’s growth because of mild hypothermic conditions. Rose Campion is a rugged plant that can survive in harsh weather conditions. If taken care of well, it can be grown between 18 to 40 inches tall with a spread of one and a half feet approx.
Rose Campion is tolerant to dry and poor soil conditions. It can withstand some periods of drought as well. The decorative plant is not a hard plant to grow in your garden for the added aesthetics, and it does not cause you much trouble during its growth. The more area they cover, the better your garden will look when the Rose Campion is in its bloom.
Rose Campion is not only known for its flowers. The foliage is equally essential too. In the absence of flowers, foliage provides the necessary looks for your garden. Usually, the flowers are of the colors White, Pink, or Magenta. But, using the new breeding techniques, you can get your desired combination of colors if you want to maintain a theme. The hybrid forms can mix the three different colors. The flowers are at the peak during May, June, and July.
Some people grow the Rose Campion right in front of the garden, but it becomes more difficult to manage than when they start to grow more than 2 feet. So, it is recommended to grow them in the middle or at the backside. As it is mentioned that Rose Campion is tolerant of drought, it should also be prevented from soggy and wet soil to avoid root problems.
Rose Camion likes to grow in dry conditions under the full sun. It has an excellent self-seeding ability and can quickly propagate from the seed. The dead plants can give rise to new ones after the spring season is over. Though the Rose Campion has a somewhat shorter life span, it adds some great looks to your garden, and it is definitely worth growing.
Although the Rose Campion is not hard to take care of plants, here are some parameters that you need to ensure for better results.
Humidity
Rose Campion is known to grow best in environments with high humidity levels in the surrounding air. It means that the air has more concentration of water particles in it than average. As their water requirement is not high as compared to the other plants, the increased level of humidity in the air helps them keep up with the demand for water in case of the drought period. However, opposite to high humidity, more moisture is undesirable.
The use of the humidifier is recommended to maintain the desired level of humidity.
Watering
Rose Campion does not require a large amount of water during its growth. Ordinary rainfall conditions are just enough to suffice its watering needs. However, if the soil becomes too dry, additional watering should be done to save the plant from dying. The watering process should not be a quick one. Water should be applied slowly to ensure that the moisture reaches the root zone.
During the process of propagation from the seed, watering should be done frequently. But the watering should be done before sowing the seeds, not after. Watering after sowing will just wash the seeds away. Watering before sowing will ensure a moist and ready soil, ideal for the growth of the seeds. The plant should not be allowed to dry out during its young age, especially in the summers. The perfect growth can be achieved by regular watering of the plant during its growing season.
Overwatering should not be done as it will adversely damage the roots and the overall growth of the Rose Campion.
Light
Rose Campion grows ideal under the availability of full or partial sunlight. But they might produce fewer blossoms under partial shade. Growing them under the full sun is recommended. For better growth, it is advised to grow them outdoors. Keeping them under the sun in the afternoon is not recommended as the dying sun rays have more concentration of the UV rays. So, they should be put under partial shade in the afternoon.
If you want to grow them indoors, they should be prevented from the harmful UV rays of the sun, which may badly damage the leaves.
Being placed under the direct sun would mean that you would need to keep an eye out on the moisture level of the soil because it can dry out sooner than expected in the high temperatures.
Soil Conditions
The quality and properties of soil play a vital role in the growth of any plant. But some plants are tolerant and rugged enough to be grown in a variety of soil conditions ranging from good to worst. Rose Campion is one of such plants. It is not a selective plant at all. Surprisingly, Rose Campion prefers to grow in poor and dry soil as compared to rich soil with a good amount of nutrients.
Even though the Rose Campion is not a picky plant in terms of soil, the trend shows that it prefers to grow in alkaline/basic or calcareous soil more. Basic soil is the soil with a pH value greater than 7. The condition of soil should be dry before growing and the addition of water manually. If the soil has clay-like properties, consider adding a small amount of sand in it.
Well-drained soil is the best for the ideal development of the root system. If the soil at the desired station does not possess excellent drainage capability, it can be mixed with some amount of sand for improvement in this regard. The important thing is to keep the soil moist always but not soggy. The overwatered soil can lead to rotting of the roots, which will result in the death of the plant.
Organic Matter
Most of the time, Rose Campion does not require the addition of any organic material. But it is recommended that during the growing age, sometimes it works in favor of the plant if you add suitable fertilizer to it.
The time of feeding the fertilizers should be from the Spring season, i.es April to June, as these are the months of growing for Rose Campion. There should only be an addition of a small amount of fertilizer in the soil. The suitable fertilizer type for the Rose Campion is the one with a higher concentration of Phosphorus in it. Follow the direction on the packet for the appropriate amount.
The fertilizer should be spread right around the base of the plant for maximum benefit. After the addition of compost, the watering of the plant should be done frequently so that the effect of fertilizer should be evenly distributed in the soil. You can also use liquid fertilizer for direct application of the foliage and the flowers. The liquid fertilizers should be mixed as per the given instructions by the manufacturer. The right use of fertilizer can boost the flowering cycle of the plant and result in overall better yield.
Pruning:
Rose Campion does not require much trimming or grooming, but deadheading or pruning the plant regularly is recommended to keep the plant in its best shape. The pruning can be done in the early winter season. The plants are cut back to approximately one-third of the original size when pruned.
The pruning is done when the flower season is over. You can also cut the entire stem. It will encourage the growth of more flowers in the next season. The cutting of stems will give it an overall better look than the deal flower. The basal foliage is also going to look good in your garden. It is said that the pruning at ideal times can make the plant flower again in the fall season.
Other Tips
· Rose Campion can also be grown on tough terrains such as rocky hillsides.
· The flowers do not come much in the first year. They will grow to their best in second and again begin to decline in the third year. They have a short life span.
· Seeds of the Rose Campion need a chilling period before they are sowed in the soil.
· For keeping the roots cool in the high-temperature areas, it is advised to spread the organic mulch around the plantation zone. It will also help conserve the moisture and prevent the weeds and bushes from growing in the surroundings.
· Rose Campion is a heavy self-seeding plant. If you do not remove the dead flowers, they will form the seeds inside them. Those seeds will self-sow if they scatter in the neighboring area. If you do not want that, you should remove the flower heads as soon as they are dead.
· The flowers look beautiful, but they do not produce any kind of fragrance.
· Rose Campion is highly prone to the attack of diseases and insects.
· The ideal temperature for its growth lies in the close range of 65-70 degrees Fahrenheit.
· Planting your Rose Campion plants at the distances of 12-15 inches apart is highly recommended.
· The plantation site should be inspected for any kind of weeds prior to the germination of the seeds to avoid any inconvenience.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
Question: Can the Rose Campion be transplanted?
Answer: No, the transplantation of the Rose Campion is a difficult process, and the chances of success are pretty low. The plant usually does not survive the process.
Question: How do you split Rose Campion?
Answer: Prepare a new pot for the splitter campion. Carefully observing the roots, divide the plant, and then put it in the already prepared pot. The young plant needs adequate watering, and the right amount of fertilizer should be added for better growth.
Question: Do bees like rose campion?
Answer: Yes, the late summer perennials are very much liked by the bees and butterflies. They occupy the plant for almost the whole summer season.
Question: How do you prune rose campion?
Answer: The flowers of rose campion are pruned when they are spent after the spring season. The entire stem should be cut away from the plant as it gives the plant a tidy and neat look overall. It will encourage the growth of new flowers in the new season.
Question: How do you get seeds from the rose campion?
Answer: The dead flowers are the source of seeds and they are not deadheaded. Just take them off when the seeds are grown and shake them in a container. All the seeds will fall down.
Question: How do you propagate rose campion?
Answer: Rose Campion is an easy to grow plant from the seed that can be sowed in spring or the early autumn season.
Question: Is Rose campion invasive?
Answer: Yes, the rose campion can get invasive if the seeds are allowed to fall on the ground. However, it is controllable.
