Nodding Catchfly

Did you know

• The genus is named after Silenus, the drunken Greek woodland god who was often depicted with a sticky belly.
• Sticky hairs on the stems trap small insects, giving the plant its 'catchfly' name, though it is not carnivorous.
• The nodding habit refers to the way unopened buds droop downward before straightening as they bloom.
• It was a common Victorian cottage garden flower and appears in many 19th-century botanical illustrations.
• Seeds can remain viable in the soil for over a decade, popping up unexpectedly years after planting.

Color meanings

Uses

• cottage gardens
• rock gardens
• borders
• wildflower meadows