Practical
Plants

Silene latifolia

White Campion

a perennial member of the Silene genus in the family Caryophyllaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Genus
Silene
Life cycle
perennial
Height
0.6 m
Fertility
Self sterile, Lepidoptera
Flower type
dioecious
Pollinators
Lepidoptera

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Although no mention of toxicity has been seen for this species, it does contain saponins. Although toxic, these substances are very poorly absorbed by the body and so tend to pass through without causing harm. They are also broken down by thorough cooking. Saponins are found in many plants, including several that are often used for food, such as certain beans. It is advisable not to eat large quantities of food that contain saponins. Saponins are much more toxic to some creatures, such as fish, and hunting tribes have traditionally put large quantities of them in streams, lakes etc in order to stupefy or kill the fish[K].

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The root is used as a soap substitute for washing clothes etc[4][5]. The soap is obtained by simmering the root in hot water.

Product or use
Soap

Environment

Range
Most of Europe, including Britain, to N. Africa and W. Asia.
Habitat
Hedges, waste places and cultivated land[2].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 6+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - sow early spring in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer. Division in spring. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found it best to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in a lightly shaded position in a cold frame, planting them out once they are well established in the summer.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Succeeds in any good sweet loam in a sunny position[1][3]. Plants tend to be short-lived and are sometimes only annual[3]. Hybridizes readily with S. dioica[2]. The plant attracts moths[2]. The smut, Ustilago violacea, causes the production of stamens in female flowers, but violet spores of the fungus replace the pollen grains[2]. Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required.

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩

  2. Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  3. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2

  4. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

    ↩

  5. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

    ↩

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