Its relationship with carnations is unmistakable. Nevertheless, the campion captivates with individual attributes, such as evergreen, silvery shimmering leaves and intense flower colors. If you still have questions about cultivation, read the answers here.

The campion flowers from May to July

Table of Contents

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  1. Plant campion correctly
  2. care tips
  3. Which location is suitable?
  4. The right planting distance
  5. What soil does the plant need?
  6. What is the best planting time?
  7. When is flowering time?
  8. Cut the campion correctly
  9. Water campion
  10. Fertilize campion correctly
  11. Diseases
  12. pests
  13. hibernate
  14. multiply campion
  15. Campion in the pot
  16. Campion does not bloom
  17. Are campions and campion campion identical?
  18. Beautiful varieties

    19. Plant campion correctly

    With regard to the ideal site conditions, the various campion species may differ. In order to plant the flower beauties correctly, there are no longer any serious deviations to consider. How to do it right:

    • Place the potted young plant with the complete root ball in water for 30-60 minutes
    • In the meantime loosen up the soil deeply, pull out weeds, remove stones and roots
    • Enrich the excavation with compost, horn shavings, (32.93€) sand or special bog bed soil for the alpine campion

    Soak the water-soaked pitcher and plant it in the prepared soil up to the lower pair of leaves. Water regularly on the day of planting and afterwards to ensure that the perennial grows safely.

    care tips

    The down-to-earth charm of a campion is also expressed in the clear care. If you pay attention to the following measures, the perennial will remain loyal to you for several years:

    • Water regularly during summer drought
    • Fertilize organically with compost or liquid every 1-2 weeks from May to July
    • Cut off wilted flower stalks after the first bloom
    • Complete pruning in late winter

    There is no need for winter protection in the bed. To be on the safe side, campions in the pot are placed in frost-free, bright winter quarters. Please continue to water the plants outdoors and in tubs during the cold season so that the root ball does not dry out.
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    Which location is suitable?

    The small, fine genus comes up with decorative specialists for different site conditions in summer borders of cottage and natural gardens and lush perennial beds. All campion varieties require a sunny location. However, there are the following differences to consider:

    • Cuckoo campion (Lychnis flos-cuculi): for locations with fresh, moist soil, without blazing midday sun
    • Crown campion (Lychnis coronaria): suitable for hot locations, with sandy, dry, poor soil
    • Alpine campion (Lychnis alpina): for sunny places with acidic to neutral soil, moist to sandy-dry
    • Garden campion (Lychnis x arkwrightii): for sunny beds with nutrient-rich, humus-rich soil that is not too dry

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    The right planting distance

    Choose a planting distance in relation to the expected growth width. In order for a campion to unfold its full bloom, it should not be cramped. A planting distance of 20-30 cm is therefore suitable for the public's favorite "Brennende Liebe", while the more delicate alpine campion can manage with a distance of 15-20 cm.

    What soil does the plant need?

    Popular species, such as the garden campion or burning love, thrive in any good garden soil as long as the location is sunny enough. To plant a sandy-dry rock garden with the blooms of campion, the lush crown campion comes into focus. If you are on the lookout for a pitch pink that thrives in acidic soil, you are well advised to use an alpine campion. The cuckoo campion feels at home in the moist soil near the pond.

    What is the best planting time?

    For campions in containers, the planting season begins at the end of March/beginning of April, provided the weather is frost-free and the ground has completely thawed. Provided that a sufficient water supply is guaranteed, this time window remains open throughout the summer until early autumn.

    When is flowering time?

    The flowering period of a campion lasts from May to July. After cutting back the withered stems, the pleasing flowers appear again from August to September/October.

    Cut the campion correctly

    A pruning after the first flowering period conjures up a late summer rebloom in the campion. The extent to which self-sowing is then desired determines the date for cutting back close to the ground before winter. If you cut off the flower stalks before forming seed heads, the flower will save a lot of energy. In order for campions to continue to thrive at the location, it is sufficient to leave a few flowers with infructescence. If you leave the pretty leaves on wintergreen campions, such as the crown campion, ideally until spring, the otherwise so dreary appearance of the garden will benefit from this care. Cut back deciduous varieties, such as Burning Love, when all of the foliage has completely withered.

    Water campion

    If you adjust the water supply to the site requirements of a campion, nothing can go wrong. The central requirements at a glance:

    • Water the alpine campion with lime-free water
    • Water the cuckoo campion regularly when the soil has dried out
    • Only water the crown campion during a summer drought when there is no rain for a long time
    • Water all other types and varieties whenever the substrate feels dry

    What all pitcher plants have in common is that they do not tolerate waterlogging. This even applies to the rather thirsty cuckoo campion.

    Fertilize campion correctly

    The campion in the bed is satisfied with a portion of compost every 2 weeks from May to July. In the planter, liquid fertilizer for flowering plants covers the low nutrient requirements throughout the summer. Lychnis coronaria even do without fertilizer altogether, as they prefer to stretch out their roots in the poor, sandy-loamy soil of rock gardens and gravel beds.

    Diseases

    If a campion is weakened as a result of waterlogging, it becomes susceptible to fungal diseases. Above all, the pathogens that cause powdery mildew colonize the silvery, hairy leaves with an unsightly mealy-grey coating. Over time, the leaves will turn yellow-brown and die. It doesn't have to come to that as long as you have fresh milk in the fridge. Make a mixture of 100 ml milk and 900 ml water to repeatedly spray the diseased campion.

    pests

    While voracious snails avoid the pitcher, aphids have no qualms about settling on the decorative foliage. You should therefore regularly check the underside of the leaves for infestation. In the early stages you can get rid of the plague with a mixture of 1 liter of water and 1 tablespoon each of pure soft soap (44.90€) and alcohol.

    hibernate

    The campion is completely hardy. There are no precautions to be taken in the bed for the cold season. On the other hand, if you cultivate the perennial in pots, we recommend moving to frost-free, bright winter quarters. Keep watering the plant so well that it doesn't dry out. The same applies to pitcher plants outdoors during a dry winter.

    multiply campion

    In order to grow more specimens from a campion, division is suitable for uncomplicated propagation. After pruning in spring, dig up the perennial and divide it into several segments with a spade or knife. A suitable section has at least 2 buds. At the new location, keep the previous planting depth, add a little compost to the soil and water generously.

    Since the seeds of pitcher plants are among the normal germs, propagation by sowing is also manageable. You can sow behind glass in March or directly in the bed from May. With the first flowering, however, sown campions often take time until the next year.

    Campion in the pot

    In the pot, the small alpine campion and the popular cuckoo campion primarily adorn the sunny balcony or patio in the garden with their colorful flowers. Because of their hunger for sun, pitcher plants are less suitable as houseplants and tend to form long horny shoots behind glass. Use an acidic bog bed soil as a substrate for the lime-sensitive alpine arachnid, while the cuckoo campion thrives in normal compost-based potting soil. Ideally, place a potsherd above the water drain in the floor as drainage to prevent waterlogging. How to take care of it:

    • Water regularly, with the alpine campion with collected rainwater
    • Fertilize with liquid every 2-3 weeks from May to July
    • After the first flowering, cut off the stems for a second flowering
    • Cut the perennial close to the ground at the latest before new shoots appear

    Although pitchcarnations are hardy in the bed, this is not the case in small pots. Therefore, move potted plants to bright, frost-free winter quarters before the first frost. Stop fertilizing and water occasionally to keep the root ball from drying out.

    Campion does not bloom

    If the campion misses a flower in the year of planting, you have a biennial variety in front of you. These flowers focus on developing vigorous root systems and abundant leaf mass in their first season. Exactly at the beginning of the following vegetation period, you can enjoy the first blooms. This is especially true after sowing.

    If the deficiency occurs in an established perennial, examine the pitcher for diseases and pests. Health problems can rob a flower of its ability to bloom.

    Are campions and campion campion identical?

    Traditionally, botanists place the campion in the genus of pitcher, with the scientific name Lychnis. Due to new findings, some scientists no longer agree with this and classify the pitcher along with its species under the campion campion, with the scientific name Silene. Since there has not yet been any agreement on the divergent views, two generic terms are circulating for the campion: pitchcarnation (Lychnis) and campion (Seline). This clutter has no effect on cultivation in the garden.

    Beautiful varieties

    • Burning Love Plena: impressive campion with scarlet flower heads consisting of up to 50 individual flowers
    • Cuckoo Campion: red, five-petalled flowers, slit twice to five times from June to August, height of growth up to 90 cm
    • Alba: white campion with silvery hairy shoots and a growth height of 60-80 cm; unfortunately very short lived
    • Alpine Campion: Dwarf cushion perennial with crimson flowers from May and a height of 10-15 cm
    • Abbotswood Rose: recommendable crown campion for the garden, red flowers, evergreen and cushion-forming

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Herbs