Moss Campion
Silene acaulis
- Native to:
- Albania, Aleutian Is., Austria, Bulgaria, Canada, Czechia-Slovakia, Finland, Føroyar, France, Germany, Greenland, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Labrador, Norway, NW. Balkan Pen., Poland, Romania, Russia, Spain, Svalbard, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye, United States
Jörg Hempel
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Caryophyllaceae
- Genus:
- Silene
- Species:
- Silene acaulis
- USDA Symbol:
- SIAC
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 5 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul,aug
- Bloom Colors:
- pink, white
- Ground Cover:
- Yes
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, butterflies
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rocky, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- thrives in alpine and arctic conditions
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 30–90 days
- Germination Time:
- 14–42 days
- Notes:
- Seeds require light for germination. Cold stratification improves germination rates significantly.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: 5 month outdoor cold, moist stratification. Seeds lightly covered with a thin layer of perlite to allow light transmission but hold seeds to the surface of the medium. No stratification necessary for this species, and seeds exposed to light had greater germination percentages.
Establishment: Seeds are hand collected in late August when capsules just begin to split and seeds are tan in color. Seeds are collected in paper bags and kept in a well ventilated drying shed prior to cleaning. S. acaulis is a circumpolar species found in North America.
Source: npn.rngr.net
ORGHPS Germination Guide: Sow @ 20C. Germinates within 3 months.