Silene virginica: Country Or Region Of Origin
Eastern North America
Plant Profile: Silene virginica
Taxonomy: Silene virginicaNames
Fire Pink, Indian Pink
Phonetic Spelling:sy-LEE-nee vir-JIN-ih-kuh
Genus:Silene
Species:virginica
Family:Caryophyllaeae
Fire Pink is a perennial herb that typically reaches heights of 2 to 3 feet. Its leaves, which are smooth-edged, grow in opposite pairs, primarily emerging from the base of the stem. From mid-spring to early summer, vibrant scarlet flowers with notched tips bloom.
In 2015, this plant was honored as the NC Wildflower of the Year, a designation awarded by the North Carolina Botanical Garden, supported in part by the Garden Club of North Carolina.
Regarding fire safety, Fire Pink is rated as having low flammability.
Seasons of Interest:
- Bloom: Spring, Summer
- Fruit/Seed/Nut: Summer
Silene virginica Feature Summary
Silene virginica Image Gallery
Tags
#hummingbirds
#red
#full sun tolerant
#perennial
#green
#wildlife plant
#herb garden
#food source
#low flammability
#NC native
#summer flowers
#native garden
#fire resistant
#spring interest
#pollinator plant
#native wildflower
#wildflower garden
#food source summer
#bird friendly
#nectar plant late spring
#butterfly friendly
#nectar plant early summer
#nectar plant mid-spring
#nectar plant mid-summer
#partial shade tolerant
#pollinator garden
#NC Wildflower of the Year
Similar Plants
Silene virginica Feature Summary
Attributes
Eastern North America
Flowers are attractive to hummingbirds, butterflies, and other pollinators. Songbirds eat the seeds.
fire in the landscape. Fire Pink is moderately resistant to deer.
Perennial
Wildlife Food Source
low flammability
Flowers
1 in. brilliant red flower with five spreading petals that are 2-pronged at the tip; greenish sepals tinged with red are united into a sticky tube with a 5-toothed rim. Blooms from April to July.
Red/Burgundy
Green
Spring
Summer
Leaves
Widely spaced pairs of narrow leaves; lower leaves are 3 to 5 in. long
Deciduous
Green
Lanceolate
Whole Plant Traits
Perennial
Native Plant
Wildflower
Herb
Deciduous
Medium
Cultural Conditions
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasionally Dry
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
4a
4b
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
Clay
Shallow Rocky
Fruit
Summer
Stem
Landscape
Butterfly Garden
Pollinator Garden
Native Garden
Drought
Dry Soil
Fire
Butterflies
Pollinators
Songbirds
Hummingbirds
Silene virginica Image Gallery
Silene virginica Attributes
Silene virginica: Wildlife Value
Flowers are attractive to hummingbirds, butterflies, and other pollinators. Songbirds eat the seeds.
Silene virginica: Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems)
fire in the landscape. Fire Pink is moderately resistant to deer.
Silene virginica: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Silene virginica: Play Value
Attractive Flowers
Attracts Pollinators
Buffer
Colorful
Defines Paths
Easy to Grow
Edible fruit
Fragrance
Pieces Used in Games
Screening
Shade
Sound
Textural
Wildlife Cover/Habitat
Wildlife Food Source
Wildlife Larval Host
Wildlife Nesting
Wind Break
Wind Shimmer
Silene virginica: Fire Risk Rating
extreme flammability
high flammability
low flammability
medium flammability
Silene virginica Flowers
Silene virginica: Flower Description
1 in. brilliant red flower with five spreading petals that are 2-pronged at the tip; greenish sepals tinged with red are united into a sticky tube with a 5-toothed rim. Blooms from April to July.
Silene virginica: Flower Color
Green
Red/Burgundy
Silene virginica: Flower Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy
Silene virginica: Flower Bloom Time
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Silene virginica Leaves
Silene virginica: Leaf Description
Widely spaced pairs of narrow leaves; lower leaves are 3 to 5 in. long
Silene virginica: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Silene virginica: Leaf Color
Green
Silene virginica: Leaf Shape
Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate
Silene virginica: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Silene virginica Whole Plant Traits
Silene virginica: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Silene virginica: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Silene virginica: Maintenance
Low
Medium
High
Silene virginica Cultural Conditions
Silene virginica: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Silene virginica: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Silene virginica: NC Region
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Silene virginica: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
4a
4b
5a
5b
6a
6b
7a
7b
8a
8b
Silene virginica: Soil Texture
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Silene virginica Fruit
Silene virginica: Display/Harvest Time
Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter
Silene virginica Stem
Silene virginica: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Silene virginica Landscape
Silene virginica: Landscape Theme
Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden
Silene virginica: Resistance To Challenges
Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind
Silene virginica: Attracts
Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees
