I just WS rose campion this year. The foliage sure is pretty. I hope it blooms next year. I've read that it takes over but where I've got it planted the soil is...well, let's just say it could be better than it is. As far as I know it's perennial and should bloom every year.

Yes, it is a perennial and will be back next year.

Becky

Becky, I was asking about the bloom. Yes, it does come back because mine came back this year with lots of flowers. I ws'd it January 2009 but it didn't bloom.

So I would like to know if it will bloom next year. Someone is saying from another forum that it's biennial. I'm hoping it's not.

It's labeled as both a perennial and a biennial because some of the plants will continue coming back every year and others will not come back every year.
Sometimes it can be hard to determine if they are the same plants every year or seedlings from seeds spilled from the prior year.

It is a wonderful reseeder that can get out of hand if you aren't careful, but the unwanted seedlings are easy to dig up and remove or relocate to another spot in the garden beds.

From my own experience, seedlings bloom the second year when WS or direct sown in the spring, but seeds that are sown in the late summer, early fall, can bloom the following late spring and summer.

You will get a huge amount of seeds from just a few flowers, but it's all but impossible to get all of the seeds before they drop to the ground, so be prepared for lots of new seedlings coming up on their own, next spring or even this fall, if your weather is warm enough.

Also, don't be surprised if you find seedlings coming up, far away from where they where originally sown and planted.

Fran

***You will get a huge amount of seeds from just a few flowers

That is really true!!! I took one dried seed pod this morning and my estimate is that there are about 40-50 seeds. :) I think my coronaria has about 100-150 dried seed pods right now. So 50 seeds x 150 seed pods = 7,500 seeds. LOL!

Thanks for the info Fran! ;)

Here's a pic of what can happen by way of "mother nature".

the clump in the front of the line of "rose campion" aka Lychnis coronaria is a WS clump from 2005 blooming in 2008.

The clump next to it arrived on it's own in 2006.

the third clump on it's own it 2007

and the last clump in the row arrive on it's own in 2008 along with the few in front of the fence.

That doesn't include the dozens upon dozens that where dug up from the lawn, potted up and given away at my annual spring plant swap.

Fran

{{gwi:428155}}

WOW, those are gorgeous! I have to watch them then. I guess, I should cut it now.

Last year I had one seedling emerge in between two of my fieldstone steps, on the edge so it wasn't in traffic. I left it alone and this year I got a lovely Rose Campion bloom charmingly popping up in my fieldstone path where the seedling last year was. They are so pretty! I'm happy to have them pop up just about everywhere!

This is one of my favorites. Be sure to share seed for swaping and sharing.
Nice picture Fran.
BB

Yes, I harvested tons of dried pods. :)