Sticky catchfly Silene viscaria
| Status | Amber - Vulnerable and Near-Threatened |
|---|---|
| Best Time to See | June, July |
| Colour | Pink |
| Habitat | Upland |
A very attractive plant with a conspicuous spike of red flowers on a tall stem, which is sticky just below each pair of leaves.
It often appears in clumps, and can look spectacular in the summer.
Distribution
It can be found at two sites in Wales and about a dozen in Scotland, mainly in the Cairngorms and Ochil Hills.
Habitat
Dry, rocky places.
Status
Classified as Near Threatened.
Key threats
It is mainly threatened by encroaching scrub, which shades it out, or grazing by sheep or deer which prevents it from flowering. In addition, the Welsh sites are threatened by quarrying.
Did you know?
Sticky Catchfly is the County Flower of Edinburgh and Midlothian. It has grown on rocks in Holyrood Park for at least 400 years, and was previously also recorded on the Castle Rock at the charismatic heart of the ‘auld toon'.