Starry Campion - Silene stellata

Starry Campion is found in dry savannas and mesic prairies. It can be a bit floppy in the shade, but when in full sun it has an extremely upright growth pattern. The flowers are marvelous, widely spaced but extremely intricate petals. It is found with Allium cernuum, Carex rosea, and Phlox divaricata in savannas, and with Amorpha canescens, Dodecatheon meadia, and Sporobolus heterolepis in prairies. The flowers are pollinated primarily by moths and, to a lesser extent, by bumblebees. These insects suck nectar from the flowers. The caterpillars of a rare Noctuid moth, Hadena ectypa (Campion Coronet), feed primarily on the flowers and developing seed capsules of Starry Campion. This moth also sucks nectar from the flowers of this plant (Nelson, 2012). Soil Type: Clay/Loam/Gravel Soil Conditions: Wet Mesic-Dry Mesic Flower Color: White Height: 3' Light: Part sun - light shade Credits: Info courtesy of Pizzo Native Nursery and illinoiswildflowers.info; Photo courtesy of Illinoiswildflowers.info and Julia Bunn.