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Silene virginica L.
Fire Pink
Florida native
Endangered Florida species
In Florida a rare wildflower of open hammocks found only in Bay County. Common in open woods and rocky slopes in much of the eastern United States, ranging west into Oklahoma and Kansas, northeast into New York and north into Ontario.
This perennial herb grows to 30-76cm (12-30 in.) tall with sticky, downy stems. Stalked, oblanceolate to spatulate leaves to 10cm (4 in.) long form a basal rosette. The stem leaves are opposite, sesile and narrow, typically 5-15cm (2-6 in.) long. The red salverform flowers have five narrow petals with notched tips. The calyx is shorter than the corolla tube and the stamens protrude from the center of the tube.
Silene virginica is a member of the Caryophyllaceae - Pink family.
Other species of the Silene genus in the Wild Florida Photo database:
Silene catesbaei - EASTERN FRINGED CATCHFLY
Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants (Institute for Systemic Botany) profile for this species
iNaturalist profile for this species
USDA Plant Profile for this species
Date record last modified: Mar 06, 2023
