Sticky catchfly facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sticky catchfly
Scientific classification
Genus:	Viscaria
Species:	vulgaris
Synonyms
List Lychnis atropurpurea (Griseb.) Nyman Lychnis atropurpurea subsp. sartorii (Boiss.) Micevski Lychnis sartorii (Boiss.) Hayek Lychnis viscaria L. Lychnis viscaria subsp. subnivalis Panov Silene atropurpurea (Griseb.) Greuter & Burdet Silene opposita Formánek Steris atropurpurea (Griseb.) Holub Steris sartorii (Boiss.) Ikonn. Steris viscaria (L.) Raf. Viscaria atropurpurea Griseb. Viscaria neglecta G.Don Viscaria sartorii Boiss. Viscaria vallesiaca (Thell.) Bergmans

Viscaria vulgaris, often called the sticky catchfly or clammy campion, is a beautiful flowering plant. It is part of the plant family known as Caryophyllaceae. This plant gets its common names from its stems, which feel sticky to the touch.

Sticky Catchfly: What It Looks Like

The sticky catchfly is a plant that grows upright. It can reach about 60 cm (24 in) (or 2 feet) tall. This plant is a perennial, meaning it lives for more than two years. It comes back year after year.

Leaves and Flowers

The leaves of the sticky catchfly are shaped like a spearhead. This shape is called lanceolate. The flowers are a bright rosy-pink color. Each flower is about 20 mm (less than an inch) wide. They grow in long groups that look like spikes. You can see these flowers from May through August.

Where It Grows

This plant likes to grow in rocky places. You can often find it on cliffs. Its sticky stems might help protect it from insects.

Why It's Called Sticky Catchfly

The scientific name for this plant is Viscaria vulgaris. The first part of its name, Viscaria, comes from a Latin word. This Latin word means "sticky." This name refers to how sticky the stem is. You can feel this stickiness just below where the leaves join the stem. Both its Latin name and its English common names, like "sticky catchfly," describe this special feature.

Growing Sticky Catchfly in Gardens

Viscaria vulgaris is also a popular plant for gardens. People grow it because its bright pink flowers are very pretty. In some garden books in Britain, it is often called Lychnis viscaria. This is an older name for the same plant.

Award-Winning Plant

There is a special type of sticky catchfly called 'Splendens Plena'. This type has double flowers, meaning it has more petals than usual. It has won an important award called the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit. This award means it is a great plant for gardens.

Images for kids

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  Seed, background lines are 5 mm (0.20 in) apart

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  Whorl of seed capsules, background lines are 5mm apart

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  Seed capsule, viewed from side

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  Seed capsule, viewed end on