Red Campion

Scientific Name: 
Silene dioica

The bright rose-red flowers of Red Campion brighten up roadsides, woodlands and hedges throughout the summer. Just as the Bluebells finish flowering in our woodlands, Red Campion starts to come into bloom. If they grow side-by-side for a few weeks, they can turn a woodland floor into an amazing sea of pink and blue.

How to identify: 
Red Campion displays rose-red flowers with five petals, each deeply notched and almost divided into two; its leaves and stems are hairy. In places where it grows alongside White Campion, the two may hybridise to produce pinky or white blooms.
Where to find it: 
Widespread.
How people can help: 

The Wildlife Trusts manage many woodland nature reserves sympathetically for a range of spring flowers, from startling pink Red Campion to fragrant Ramsons, showy Bluebells to delicate Wood Anemones. A mix of coppicing, scrub-cutting and ride maintenance open up the woodland floor to the sun, helping many flowers and plants to thrive. You can help too: volunteer for your local Wildlife Trust and you could be involved in everything from traditional forest crafts to raising awareness about woodland wildlife.

Statistics: 
Height: up to 1m
Conservation status: 
Common.
Did you know?: 
Also known as 'Adder's Flower', Red Campion is a good source of food for moths, bees and butterflies.
Seasons: 
Spring
Summer
Autumn
When to see
Start date: 
May
End date: 
September
Image: 
Red campion - Richard Burkmar