Red Campion Seeds

Silene dioica is a Very Hardy Perennial (H7). It is a robust UK native that can withstand temperatures below -20°C. While individual plants are relatively short-lived, they create a permanent presence in the garden by self-seeding generously into available gaps.

The Dioecious Secret: Red Campion is "dioecious," meaning individual plants are either male or female. Male flowers feature yellow stamens, while females have white styles and produce the seed capsules. Your packet contains a mix of both to ensure your colony can successfully reproduce and naturalise.

Wildlife Champion: A core member of the RHS Plants for Pollinators list, its nectar-rich blooms are a vital early-season food source for long-tongued bumblebees, butterflies, and hoverflies.

Red Campion is incredibly easy to establish and is the perfect solution for "tricky" garden spots where other plants might struggle.

How to Sow:
Sow directly outdoors in Autumn (September-October) for flowers the following spring, or in March to May. Scatter seeds thinly onto bare, raked soil. The seeds require light to germinate, so just press them firmly into the surface—do not bury them deep. Germination typically takes 14-21 days.

Where to Plant:
It is highly adaptable, thriving in semi-shade or full sun. It is one of the few flowers that can handle heavy clay and competition from established grass, making it ideal for woodland edges, hedge lines, or wilder corners of the garden.

Ongoing Care:
Extremely low maintenance. Once established, it requires no extra watering or feeding. To encourage a longer flowering period, you can deadhead the first flush, but ensure you leave the final flowers to set seed if you want the drift to expand naturally next year.

Red Campion is the ultimate "weaver," filling gaps in wilder areas or woodland-style borders:

• 🦊 Foxglove 'Excelsior Mix': The Woodland Edge. Planting these native superstars together creates a tiered canopy of early summer colour. The rose-pink campion fills the ground layer beneath the tall, statuesque foxglove spires.
• 🌙 Honesty (Lunaria annua): The Spring Relay. Honesty begins to flower just before the Campion, and their overlapping purple and pink tones create a lush, cottage garden glow that is highly attractive to bees.

Sow in autumn or spring for a natural drift of pink from late spring through early summer.