How to Plant, Grow, and Care for Sticky Catchfly

Sticky catchflies, with their pink flowers and low growth habit, are easy to squeeze into any garden. They can survive a variety of soil types and light conditions. Once established, they are drought-tolerant, making them a great low-maintenance option for the water-wise gardener. 

The blooms attract a wide range of pollinators and butterflies, and the tubular flowers are a favorite of hummingbirds. Most importantly, this wildflower attracts native bees. It will also attract the envy of your neighbors and fellow gardeners when they see a beautiful border of them or find them dotted around your yard. 

What is Sticky Catchfly?

Sticky Catchfly, Silene caroliniana, is also known as wild pink, American pink, or Carolina campion. This flowering perennial gets its common name from the fact that it produces sticky hairs on the calyx that act just like fly paper. Small insects can become stuck.

This plant is not carnivorous, however, and does not digest the insects that get stuck as a Venus fly trap would. It is thought the plant evolved this defense mechanism to prevent insects from eating it or laying eggs on it. 

History

American pink’s genus name ‘Silene’ comes from the Greek word ‘sialon’ which refers to the gummy secretions on the stems. The genus name has also been linked to the mythological figure Silenus. He was the foster father of Bacchus, the god of wine. Silenus was covered in foam, much like the sticky stems of this plant. 

Native Area

Silene caroliniana is native to the Eastern United States, where it can be found growing in USDA zones five through eight. It grows as far west as Missouri and as far south as Florida. In its native range, it grows in woodland areas where it prefers slightly acidic soil. Members of the Silene genus can be found growing on five out of seven continents in the world excluding Australia and Antarctica).  

Characteristics

In addition to the sticky calyx, this perennial also produces beautiful pink flowers. A single plant can produce upwards of 50-100 flowers per plant! The flowers’ appearance is similar to phlox, with five wedge-shaped pink petals. Dense clusters of flowers sit atop lance-shaped green foliage. The foliage remains green throughout spring, summer, and fall. It will die back in the winter. 

Uses

Sticky catchfly is most often used as an ornamental ground cover. It has a low growing habit and grows in clumps. When planted 12-18 inches apart, it creates a carpeted effect. It tolerates partial shade conditions. For this reason, it can also be grown underneath trees where not much else can survive. The pretty pink flowers attract native bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.   

Where To Buy

This native plant can be found through many online retailers. Since it is more of a specialty plant, it likely won’t be available at big box stores. However, it may be found at a local nursery if you live in its native range in the Eastern United States.

Its profuse flowers also produce, you guessed it, a multitude of seeds. So, if you have a friend with an established plant, you might also consider collecting their seeds or taking a cutting (more on that later).  

Planting

Transplant this perennial either in spring or early fall. In areas with hot summers, a fall planting can allow the plant extra time to get established before it has to deal with the intense heat of the summer. It can also easily survive cold winters. You can also plant in the spring, but these plants will need more water and care to get them through their first summer. 

When planting your catchfly, dig a hole the same depth as its original container and at least twice as wide. Then, place the plant in the hole and backfill it with the displaced soil or compost. Mulch around the base of the plant to help the soil stay consistently moist and regulate the temperature. 

How to Grow

Once established, sticky catchfly is low maintenance and relatively pest—and disease-free. However, some growing requirements must be met to ensure that this perennial thrives. 

Light

These plants prefer full sun but will tolerate partial shade. In its native habitat, it tends to grow as an understory plant. In these conditions, it might not flower as much, but it blooms so profusely to begin with that you might not even notice much difference!

Sticky catchfly has a low-growth habit. For this reason, it can be used as a ground cover to surround the base of trees or other larger flowering plants and shrubs. Just make sure that it receives at least three to six hours of direct sunlight per day on the low end and up to eight hours of direct sunlight on the high end. 

Water

This flower can tolerate both moist and dry soils and becomes drought-tolerant once established. It will not, however, tolerate waterlogged soils or standing water. For this reason, you should avoid planting it in a low-lying area of your yard or near a downspout.

Avoid areas where water pools after a heavy rain. Feel the soil around the base of the plant and wait until the top few inches feel dry before watering again. It is better to underwater this plant rather than to overwater it. 

Soil

Sticky catchfly prefers sandy and rocky soils. Although, they can survive a variety of soil types as long as it is well-draining. As mentioned above, these plants do not do well in overly wet or waterlogged conditions.

If you have heavy clay soil, you’ll want to amend it with some organic matter or compost to help increase the drainage. If you’re growing this plant in a container then you can amend your potting soil with perlite or cactus soil to help increase drainage. Make sure that your container has adequate drainage holes at the bottom as well. 

Temperature and Humidity

These flowers can be grown reliably in USDA growing zones four through eight as they are quite cold-tolerant. Their ideal temperatures during the growing season range between 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit (18-21°C). They can struggle in extreme heat and will require extra water during these times.

They prefer low humidity. For this reason, you’ll want to increase airflow around plants, especially in high-humidity environments. Digging up and dividing plants in the spring will help them from becoming overcrowded and increase airflow as well. 

Fertilizing

For these plants, fertilizing is optional. They can survive in lean soils and do not need additional fertilizer. If you want to give your plants a bit of a boost, then you can add a top dressing of compost in early spring when they begin putting on new growth. This will help give them some extra energy as they break dormancy. 

Maintenance

Once established, Silene caroliniana is very low-maintenance, but it can benefit from a few hands-on tasks. Although it is not necessary, deadheading the flowers as they fade will encourage more buds and extend the flowering season. In addition to deadheading, you can also lift and separate clumps of this perennial in early spring and spread them to other areas of your garden. 

Growing In Containers

Yes, they can be grown in containers. As mentioned above, the most important thing to consider when growing in containers is to provide good drainage. Use quality potting soil cactus soil or a combination of the two.

You can also amend your potting soil with perlite to help increase the drainage. Avoid setting the pot on a drip tray that will hold water around the base of the pot. You want the water to drain away freely.  

Propagation

Sticky catchfly can be propagated by division. In early spring, dig up clumps, divide, and replant them in other areas of your garden. This will also help keep your patch from becoming overcrowded. Follow the planting instructions mentioned above when transplanting. 

Cuttings and seeds are two additional propagation methods. Take a cutting in the summer, just below a leaf node. Make sure your cutting is at least four to six inches long. Do not take a cutting from a stem that is already forming buds. This part of the plant focuses on flowering and will not have enough energy to produce new roots. Remove foliage from the bottom two inches of your cutting and place it in a glass of water. You should see new roots appear in one to two weeks. 

To propagate by seed, you’ll need an already blooming plant. Flowers will be replaced by seed heads as they fade. Let them dry completely on the plant. Once dried, you can remove them and collect the seeds. Sow the seeds the following spring at least three weeks before your last frost date. These seeds benefit from a period of cold before germination. The small seeds also require light to germinate, so be sure to sow them on the surface of the soil and gently press them into place. The seeds should germinate within two to three weeks.  

Common Problems

Silene caroliniana is relatively trouble-free. It can grow in a variety of soil types and with a variety of light requirements. Too much water causes the most common growing problems. Here’s what to watch out for. 

Pests

Sticky catchfly has no major pest issues. This is partly due to their sticky stems, which cause small insects to get stuck. It is thought that for this reason, most pests avoid this plant. Any insects that are unlucky enough to crawl across the calyx will get stuck. Pollinators, for the most part, are unaffected since they are only interested in the flowers and stay away from the sticky stems. 

Diseases

As mentioned above, sticky catchfly prefers well-draining soil and low humidity. In adverse conditions with poor drainage, root rot can become an issue. Root rot is a harder type of rot to recover from, but if there are still fresh white roots, then the plant can be saved. Even though the plant is being watered, the signs of root rot will appear. The most common symptoms are wilting, mushy stems, and black and rotten roots. 

If growing in a container, you’ll want to dig it up and move it to a new container with dry soil. Moving forward, let the soil dry out before watering it again, or assess if you need to increase the drainage of your pot or potting soil mix. If your plant is in the ground, cease all watering until the soil surrounding your plant has dried completely. 

Frequently Asked Questions