Time For Starry Campion!

July 9, 2025

Starry Campion (Silene stellata)

When I find this plant in bloom along the trails up here I’m totally delighted. This is Starry Campion (Silene stellata). Native to the eastern and central United States.

Starry Campion (Silene stellata)

I sometimes see Bladder Campion (Silene vulgaris)(see the picture below), a plant that fascinates me, much like Starry Campion. These two plants are related, belonging to the same genus, Silene, within the pink family (Caryophyllaceae).

Bladder Campion (Silene vulgaris)

But Bladder Campion is not native to North America. It is native to Europe and Asia. So the native Starry Campion wins. Not only is it native but it is actually more beautiful!

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Published by

Brenda Clements Jones

Brenda is a certified Virginia Master Naturalist, a Habitat Defender for Shenandoah National Park, and a devoted fan of Mother Nature. She lives in a cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Shenandoah National Park, and hikes up to the higher elevations of her mountain often to see what nature is up to. Her constant hiking companion is a camera that captures nature as it unfolds through the seasons. It’s her goal to share the natural world around her through her photographs.