Plant · GBIF taxon 9172281
Bladder Campion
Silene vulgarisAlso known as Maidenstears, Bladder Catchfly, Cowbell
Bladder campion features distinctive swollen calyces that resemble delicate paper lanterns beneath five deeply notched white petals. These unusual inflated structures protect developing seed capsules while guiding long-tongued moths to sip nectar at dusk. A hardy perennial with deep taproots, it prospers in sun-drenched meadows, grassy roadsides, and chalky soils across its native and naturalized ranges.
FloweringWildflowerPerennial
1 / 7—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Autotrophic (Photosynthetic)
Predators
- Slugs
- Snails
- Caterpillars
ThreatsAgricultural intensification, frequent mowing, heavy herbicide use
HabitatsMeadows, grasslands, roadsides, waste ground, pastures
Life spanPerennial (typically 3–8 years)
Classification
- OrderCaryophyllales
- FamilyCaryophyllaceae
- GenusSilene
- SpeciesSilene vulgaris
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Wild plants have toxic look-alikes; never ingest wild flora based on app identification alone.
Responsible observation
- Petal Inspection: Look closely at the five petals to observe the deep central split in each one.
- Dusk Watching: Visit patches at twilight to spot noctuid moths visiting the open blossoms.
Close Relative (c) Kieran Roy Powell, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Kieran Roy Powell · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Douglas Goldman, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Douglas Goldman · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) Katrin Simon, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Katrin Simon · cc-by
Close Relative (c) C T Johansson, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
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