Growing Gorgeous Rose Campion from Seeds

Rose campion (Lychnis coronaria) is an old-fashioned perennial flower that deserves a spot in both cottage gardens and cutting gardens. Its magenta blooms add a pop of vivid color, while its felted silver foliage provides unique texture. This traditional plant has been grown since medieval times, but still feels fresh and trendy today. Read on to learn all about planting rose campion seeds and enjoying this beloved heirloom flower.

What is Rose Campion?

Also called mullein pink, rose campion is a short-lived perennial or biennial with a long history in gardens. The name comes from its bright flowers that resemble roses and its woolly leaves reminiscent of a campion.

Native to Eastern Europe and Asia, lychnis coronaria has been cultivated since at least 1596. It was commonly grown in American Colonial gardens by the early 1700s. While many old garden plants fall out of fashion, rose campion remains a staple in today’s gardens too.

The Benefits of Growing Rose Campion

Here are some of the best reasons to grow this traditional favorite:

• Adds vibrant pops of color with bright magenta blooms

• Provides unique silver foliage texture with fuzzy leaves

• Blooms over a long season from early summer to fall

• Works beautifully in cottage gardens borders and wildflower meadows

• Attracts butterflies, bees, and other beneficial pollinators

• Desirable for cut flower arrangements with long straight stems

• Deer resistant and tolerant of drier conditions

• Self-seeds readily for free plants the following year

How to Plant Rose Campion Seeds

One of the easiest ways to get rose campion plants is by planting seeds. Here are some tips:

• Start indoors 8-10 weeks before your last frost

• Use sterile seed starting mix and containers with drainage holes

• Barely press seeds into the soil surface and do not cover with mix

• Maintain soil temperature around 70°F for best germination

• Thin seedlings to avoid overcrowding once the first true leaves appear

• Harden off before transplanting seedlings outside after the danger of frost

• Can also direct sow in the garden after the last spring frost

Caring for Rose Campion Plants

To keep your rose campion thriving, provide the following care:

• Give plants full sun to partial shade exposure

• Space plants 12-18 inches apart in the garden

• Keep soil moist but allow drying between waterings

• Use mulch to conserve moisture and cool roots

• Apply a balanced fertilizer once or twice during the season

• Deadhead spent blooms to encourage reblooming

• Cut plants back after flowering to curtail self-seeding

• Divide clumps every 2-3 years to rejuvenate plants

The Gorgeous Flowers

The star of this plant is its electric magenta blooms. Flowers open in early summer, blooming through fall in some areas.

The eye-catching single blossoms have five deeply notched petals surrounding central whiskery stamens. They pop against the silver downy leaves, creating a dramatic contrast.

While most commonly seen in bright pinkish-purple, rose campion also comes in softer pastel shades like white, pale pink, and lavender. Remember that flowers tend to fade over time, taking on lighter hues.

Silver Fuzzy Foliage

In addition to its vibrant blooms, rose campion is prized for its unique foliage. The leaves are covered in soft silver hairs, giving them a felted or woolly texture.

The basal leaves form a low mound or rosette close to the ground. As flower stems emerge in early summer, the leaves become smaller and more scattered along the upright stalks.

The foliage remains attractive all season, not dying back after blooming like many perennials. The silver color provides nice contrast to the lively blooms.

Attracting Bees and Butterflies

Butterflies and bees flock to rose campion’s nectar-rich flowers. Some of the common visitors include:

• Painted Lady butterflies
• Swallowtail butterflies
• Skipper butterflies
• Fritillary butterflies
• Bumblebees
• Honeybees
• Mason bees

The single blooms provide easy access for pollinators. And the flowers produce ample nectar to supply food for beneficial insects.

If attracting pollinators is a priority, be sure to grow rose campion. Its long bloom season gives bees and butterflies nourishment.

Deer and Rabbit Resistant

Bothered by deer and rabbits? Rose campion can help. It’s one of the many flowers that ungulates tend to leave alone.

The key reason is its fragrance. Rose campion has a musky, pungent scent that these animals find unappealing. So they’ll pass it by for tastier treats.

You’ll still want to use deer or rabbit deterrents. But this plant is more resistant to grazing than many options.

How to Use Rose Campion in the Landscape

Here are some ideas for incorporating rose campion into your garden:

Cottage Gardens

Rose campion is right at home in informal English or naturalized cottage gardens. Partner it with foxglove, hollyhocks, catmint, yarrow, and other cottage garden classics.

Cutting Gardens

With long, straight stems perfect for cutting, rose campion is an obvious choice for cutting gardens focused on flowers for bouquets and arrangements.

Borders and Bed Edges

The compact mounded shape works nicely along borders, bed edges, and pathways. Allow some flowers to self-seed to fill in gaps.

Containers

You can even grow rose campion in patio pots and containers! It stays compact enough to combine with trailing flowers or foliage.

Meadows and Open Areas

For a wildflower meadow, prairie garden, or other open space, rose campion provides a bold vertical punch.

Growing Rose Campion from Seeds

Looking for an easy, budget-friendly way to get rose campion plants? Growing from seeds is a simple option.

Seeds give you many more plants for your money compared to buying starter plants. And rose campion happily reseeds, providing free plants year after year.

Save seeds from your own plants or gather them from mature seed pods in late summer. Store the dry seeds in an airtight container in the refrigerator until your sowing time.

Start Seeds Indoors or Outdoors

You can start rose campion seeds indoors or direct sow them outdoors:

Indoors – Start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before your last expected frost date. Provide bright light and grow the seedlings on at 65-70°F until it’s time to transplant them outside after all danger of frost.

Outdoors – Direct sow seeds in the garden in spring once the soil has warmed up. Press them into the soil surface and keep them evenly moist until germination.

Easy to Grow from Seed

Rose campion germinates readily from seed, as long as you provide the right conditions. Here are some germination guidelines:

• Surface sow seeds and do not cover them
• Keep seeds consistently moist but not saturated
• Maintain soil temperatures around 70°F
• Expect sprouts in 7-21 days

The small seedlings will first form round leaves close the ground. As they grow, the true leaves will take on the signature fuzzy silver appearance.

Ongoing Care

Once your rose campion seedlings are established, follow these care tips:

• Water plants regularly until well rooted, then reduce to weekly
• Apply mulch around plants to retain moisture and cool roots
• Stake tall stems if needed to prevent flopping
• Pinch or cut back spent flower stems to encourage reblooming
• Divide congested plants every 2-3 years to rejuvenate

Common Problems

Rose campion is relatively trouble-free with no serious problems. You may encounter:

• Powdery mildew – Avoid wetting foliage, increase air circulation, use Neem oil
• Self-seeding – Cut back plants after blooming or discard unwanted seedlings
• Floppy stems – Stake tall plants if needed or grow shorter varieties

Enjoying Rose Campion Year After Year

Once established, rose campion is a hardy perennial that comes back reliably each year – and spreads readily from self-sown seeds.

Collect seeds from your healthiest plants in fall. Store them in a sealed packet in the fridge over winter. Then sow them the following spring for a continuous supply of vigorous new rose campion plants.

If you don’t have rose campion yet, look for seeds or starter plants at your local garden center. Or order them from a reputable online seed company.

This centuries-old garden classic still shines today. Let rose campion bring its unique charm and whimsy to your own landscape. The electric flowers and distinct foliage add fun flair suitable for both formal and informal gardens.