Silene viscaria   Sticky Catchfly RR DDD N

Lychnis viscaria Lychnis viscaria close

This plant likes to grow on inaccessible rock faces and after climbing a steep scree, edging past dead branches and thorny roses, the best plant came into view high up on ledge. This is normally a mid-summer flower so to see four plants so well developed in early May was very surprising even for this year. At this site there are a fair number of plants the vast majority of which have been nibbled by rabbits or deer.

Silene viscaria is dotted here and there in England and this site at Stanner Rocks is one of the very few in Wales. The largest concentration of S. viscaria is to be found in Lothian and Fife in Scotland. It grows on Arthur's Seat, Holyrood in Edinburgh and so has been adopted as the City and County flower.

Silene viscaria is a new name for Lychnis viscaria as described in New Flora of the British Isles Edition 3 published in 2010.

Lychnis viscaria

Silene viscaria Sticky Catchfly

Southwick, South Dumfries, Scotland 19th May 2003

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Silene viscaria Sticky Catchfly

Stanner Rocks, Radnorshire 11th May 2007

Added on 12th May 2007, updated 8th December 2010, updated 8th February 2012, updated 15th July 2014

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