Common Name: Sea Campion

General Information

Silene uniflora is a herbaceous perennial plant growing from a branching woody rootstock. It produces a loose cushion of prostrate, non-flowering stems and ascending flowering stems from 8 - 25cm tall[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for use in commercial cosmetic preparations. It is sometimes gown as an ornamental in gardens, there are many named varieties[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

Europe - Norway, Sweden and Finland, south through the UK and Poland to Portugal and Greece; Macaronesia - Azores, Madeira.

Habitat

Maritime shingle, cliffs and stony ground, rarely on cliff ledges, gravelly lake shores or by alpine streams inland; at elevations up to 1,000 metres[].

Properties

Other Uses Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.20 m
Pollinators	Bees, Moths
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Silene uniflora is a very cold-hardy plant, able to tolerate temperatures down to around -35°c when fully dormant[].
Species in this genus generally grow well in a sunny position in a well-drained but moisture-retentive fertile soil[].
Silene uniflora and Silene vulgaris are very closely related species which can be crossed artificially with little loss of fertility. Natural hybrids, however, are rare[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

An extract of the whole plant is used as an ingredient in commercial cosmetic preparations as a hair conditioner and skin protector[].
An extract of the flowers and leaves is used as an ingredient in commercial cosmetic preparations as a skin conditioner[].

Propagation

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.