Lychnis - Chalcedonica
Lychnis coronaria 'Dancing Ladies’ is a colourful mix of Rose Campion that makes an eye-catching display in sunny beds and borders. Rosettes of silvery foliage produce upright silver-white stems topped with white, pink and rose-red flowers. Individual plants are relatively short-lived, but they will quickly form longer-lasting, spreading colonies if allowed to seed from year to year. This trouble free perennial is easy to grow on almost any well drained soil and proves particularly useful on thin, chalky soils. It will produce the best foliage colour in drier conditions.
Height: 60cm (24"). Spread: 45cm (18").
Lychnis coronaria 'Dancing Ladies’ is a colourful mix of Rose Campion that makes an eye-catching display in sunny beds and borders. Rosettes of silvery foliage produce upright silver-white stems topped with white, pink and rose-red flowers. Individual plants are relatively short-lived, but they will quickly form longer-lasting, spreading colonies if allowed to seed from year to year. This trouble free perennial is easy to grow on almost any well drained soil and proves particularly useful on thin, chalky soils. It will produce the best foliage colour in drier conditions.
Height: 60cm (24"). Spread: 45cm (18").
Lychnis coronaria 'Dancing Ladies’ is a colourful mix of Rose Campion that makes an eye-catching display in sunny beds and borders. Rosettes of silvery foliage produce upright silver-white stems topped with white, pink and rose-red flowers. Individual plants are relatively short-lived, but they will quickly form longer-lasting, spreading colonies if allowed to seed from year to year. This trouble free perennial is easy to grow on almost any well drained soil and proves particularly useful on thin, chalky soils. It will produce the best foliage colour in drier conditions.
Height: 60cm (24"). Spread: 45cm (18").
Sow Lychnis seed indoors from February to April. Sow seed on the surface of a good quality seed compost and gently firm down. Seal seed trays inside a plastic bag or place in a heated propagator at a temperature of 19-24C (65-75F). Do not exclude light as this helps germination, which usually takes 10-20 days. Keep the compost moist but not saturated.
When seedlings are large enough to handle, transplant and grow them on in cooler conditions until large enough to plant outdoors. When Lychnis plants are well grown and all risk of frost has passed, acclimatise them to outdoor conditions over 7 to 10 days. Transplant outdoors in a sunny or semi shaded position on fertile, well drained soil that remains reliably moist in summer. Also suitable for clay soils, damp or boggy areas and planting around the edges of ponds. Seed sown in February will often flower the same year.
Deadhead faded Lychnis flowers regularly to prolong flowering and prevent unwanted seedlings. In autumn, cut back the old foliage and faded flower stems to just above ground level to make way for new growth in the spring.
