Red Campion (Silene dioica) - Wildlife-Friendly Native (Peat-Free, Pesticide-Free Super Plugs & 9cm Pots)

Red Campion brings soft colour and a true wild feel to light shade. Tufts of fresh green foliage send up branching stems topped with silky, rose-pink flowers over many weeks, feeding insects through late spring into early autumn - right when shady borders often run short on nectar. It’s ideal along hedgerows, woodland paths, north/east beds and the shadier edges of meadows.

Wildlife value: Open, easily accessed flowers are worked by bumblebees, long-tongued solitary bees, hoverflies and moths at dusk. Seedheads left standing add a little winter interest and support the wider food web.

Where it thrives

• Light/part shade (tolerates morning or late sun)

• Moist, humus-rich, well-drained soils; happy on clay/loam with leaf-mould

• Hedgerows, woodland edge, orchard understory, shady cottage borders

Planting & care
Space 30-40 cm apart. Keep evenly moist while establishing; mulch annually with leaf-mould/composted bark. Deadhead to prolong flowering, or let some seed for natural drifts. Tidy in late autumn or leave stems for wildlife and cut back in early spring.

Honest notes

• The species is dioecious (separate male & female plants). Planting a few together gives better seed set and gentle self-sowing.

• Can hybridise with White Campion nearby, producing soft pink forms - pretty, and part of its natural story.

• Not for waterlogged or deep, dry shade; improve with organic matter and light.

Joel says…
“For shady borders that need months of colour and real insect traffic, Red Campion is a banker. Tuck it along paths and hedges, deadhead for a longer show, and let a few seedlings stitch a natural tapestry. As always, peat-free and raring to go.”

Although there is a minimum order requirement of 8 plugs when purchasing specific species, if selecting our Super Plug Bespoke Pack, you can select up to 4 species of your choice from our given list to make up a 16 pack (or greater), allowing you a wider choice of plug species if 8 of one is too many. Find the link to our Super Plug Bespoke Pack here!

These SUPER PLUG specimens are available in 8 pack, 16 pack, 32 pack and 48 pack. The 9CM POTS are available individually.

They're both ready to be shipped to you in a few days.

If you need ANY advice on planting or suitable plants for a specific area, please remember that as a Wild Your Garden customer you're entitled to free professional and tailored advice from our founder, Joel.

Why Wild Your Garden?
Unlike mass-produced plants, our wildflowers come from small, peat-free family nurseries that never use pesticides or herbicides, so they’re safe for wildlife from day one. Joel has used these trusted growers for 20+ years - tried, tested, and genuinely wildlife-friendly. By buying from Wild Your Garden, you’re also supporting independent growers who put nature first.