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Lychnis viscaria ‘Plena’, or Sticky Catchfly, is a hardy perennial with vibrant double pink flowers from late spring. Attracting pollinators, it thrives in full sun and well-drained soil, making it perfect for borders and rockeries.
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Discover Lychnis viscaria ‘Plena’, a charming perennial with vibrant pink double blooms that illuminate your garden from late spring through summer.
This delightful cultivar, also known as Sticky Catchfly ‘Plena’, is a robust plant. It adds enduring colour to your garden. Its unique sticky stems are a natural curiosity, lending intrigue to its common name. Thriving in sunny spots, Lychnis viscaria ‘Plena’ offers a resilient display of vibrant flowers. It reliably returns each year, creating a focal point in borders or rock gardens.
Bright Double Pink Flowers: Features abundant, vibrant pink, double blooms.
Sticky Stems: Notable for its characteristic sticky stems, which gave rise to its common name, Sticky Catchfly.
Long Flowering Period: Provides a cheerful display from late spring to mid-summer.
Attracts Pollinators: A valuable plant for supporting local wildlife, drawing in bees and butterflies.
Low Maintenance: Requires minimal attention once established, making it an easy-care garden choice.
Lychnis viscaria ‘Plena’ is a captivating perennial known for its clusters of intensely pink, double flowers. These blooms appear in profusion, creating a dense carpet of colour that enlivens any garden space.
This particular cultivar stands out due to its ‘Plena’ distinction, meaning its flowers are fuller and more ornate than the single-flowered species. Moreover, the plant reaches a modest height, generally around 40-60 centimetres. It offers an excellent upright form.
The name Lychnis originates from the Greek word ‘lychnos’, which means ‘lamp’. This likely refers to the bright, luminous quality of the flowers of some species. The specific epithet viscaria comes from the Latin ‘viscum’, meaning ‘sticky’.
This aptly describes the plant’s unique stems, which produce a sticky substance. This natural trait can often deter small crawling insects. Hence, it is commonly known as Sticky Catchfly. This plant brings a distinctive texture to your planting schemes.
This resilient plant typically flowers from late May through to July in UK gardens. Its grey-green, narrow leaves provide a subtle backdrop to the brilliant floral display. Each stem is adorned with multiple blossoms, forming a striking visual impact. Furthermore, these vivid flowers are a welcome sight for many beneficial insects.
Lychnis viscaria ‘Plena’ makes a wonderful addition to various garden settings. For instance, it excels when planted in herbaceous borders, where its bright colour can contrast with softer foliage or darker hues.
It also performs brilliantly in rock gardens, its robust nature allowing it to thrive in well-drained, lean soils. Furthermore, its neat, clump-forming habit means it works well for edging paths or defining planting areas.
The plant is incredibly attractive to pollinators; bees and butterflies frequently visit its rich flowers. This makes Lychnis viscaria ‘Plena’ a valuable component of any wildlife-friendly garden. After the main flush of flowers, you can deadhead the spent blooms. This simple task often encourages a second, albeit smaller, wave of flowering. This ensures a prolonged period of interest.
Hardy in the harshest UK conditions and below. Suitable for mountain regions.
Lychnis viscaria 'Plena' is a relatively low-maintenance perennial. Plant in full sun and well-drained soil. Water regularly after planting until established, then it is quite drought tolerant. Deadhead spent flowers to encourage further blooms and prevent unwanted self-seeding. In late autumn or early spring, cut back the faded foliage to ground level to promote fresh new growth. No specific pruning for shape is usually required beyond tidying.


