Catchfly (Silene) Plant

This plant, with it's open pink petals, is another sun-loving plant. It is just a little wisp of a plant now but is said to be fast-growing and will reach 24" wide and 12" tall. The flowers resemble a mallow plant and is indigenous to Central Europe. It is not as cold-tolerant as some other plants in the garden and therefore is considered an annual in Houston, unable to withstand the below-freezing temperatures of the winters here. The leaves are "furry" like an African Violet and downy little hairs run up and down the stem and the bracts. Unlike the African Violet, however, this showy little plant doesn't mind getting wet. In the wild, this type of plant grows in rock gardens and often amid old ruins, giving many photographers a chance to shoot a calendar-worthy photo.