Silene latifolia White Campion I
Silene latifolia is now thought to be an archeophyte (introduced before 1500 AD) most of which is ssp alba. This change in New Flora of the British Isles by Clive Stace is given in Edition 3 (2010) although earlier editions say it is a native species. It is both a hedgerow plant a plant of waste places. Where they grow together it will hybridise with Silene dioica (Red Campion) to produce a fertile plant (Silene x hampeana) with pale pink flowers. Occasionally Silene dioica produces white flowers instead of deep pink ones and should that happen it is difficult to distinguish them from Silene latifolia (I don't know how).
Silene latifolia is so well established that it's distribution pattern is similar to many common native species,. It is found throughout England most of Wales and in Scotland but less so in the west. It isn't as common in Ireland being most often found in the east. It is found on the outer Hebrides and Orkney too.
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| Silene latifolia White Campion |
LHS: Shotton, North Wales 7th May 2007 RHS: Frodsham marshes, 4th October 2004
Added on November 30th 2004, updated 8th February 2012