Silene scouleri is a very complex species that appears to be in the process of diverging into at least three different entities - these are treated here as subspecies

Common Name:

General Information

Silene scouleri is a herbaceous perennial plant growing from a stout taproot with a branched, woody caudex; it produces several erect stems 10 - 80cm tall[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Western N. America - British Colombia to Alberta, south to California, Arizona and New Mexico

Habitat

Coastal bluffs, rocky and grassy slopes, dry prairie, woodlands, alpine meadows; at elevations up to 3,800 metres[].

Properties

Habit	Perennial
Height	0.50 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Species in this genus generally grow well in a sunny position in a well-drained but moisture-retentive fertile soil[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

A warm infusion of the pounded plant is used as an emetic to treat stomach pain[].

Other Uses

None known

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.
Division in spring. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found it best to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in a lightly shaded position in a cold frame, planting them out once they are well established in the summer.