Silene latifolia
White campion, White Campion
(c) Douglas Goldman, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Douglas Goldman · licence
Family: Caryophyllaceae · Type: Herb · Not Native
Silene latifolia (White campion) is a non-native California herb in the Caryophyllaceae family, recognized by . Key features: non-native, dioecious, large white petals, inflated calyx, 5 styles.
White campion is a naturalized perennial herb found in coastal and central California regions including the North Coast, southern Sierra Nevada foothills, Central Valley, San Francisco Bay Area, and Southern California in fields and roadsides at elevations below 1,000 meters. Flowering from summer to fall, this plant produces white flowers with broad petals 24 to 40 millimeters long that are nearly entire or slightly two-lobed. Growing with erect stems 30 to 100 centimeters tall that are rough-hairy and slightly glandular toward the top, it has a sparse branching caudex. Its leaves are distinctive, with lower leaves 5 to 10 centimeters long and oblanceolate, gradually becoming smaller and more lanceolate toward the stem's top. The fruit is an ovoid capsule with a short stalk, developing from an inflated calyx that becomes significantly larger in seed production.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 21 sympatric species. Key features: non-native, dioecious, large white petals, inflated calyx, 5 styles.
Habitat and range
Habitat: Fields, roadsides
Elevation: < 1000 m
California counties: Los Angeles, Siskiyou, Tulare, Plumas, Mariposa, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, San Francisco, Shasta, Santa Barbara
Outside California: North America, native to Europe
Bloom period
Silene latifolia blooms Summer-fall.
How to tell it apart
vs Spigelia: Silene has 5 separate petals in pink family arrangement; Spigelia has tubular red flowers with 5-lobed tips.; vs Pelargonium: Silene has radially symmetric flowers with 5 equal petals; Pelargonium has bilateral flowers with unequal petals.; vs Cistanthe: Silene has a tubular calyx fused around the flower; Cistanthe has 2 separate, rounded sepals that fall off.; vs Castilleja: Silene has showy petals; Castilleja's color comes from bracts hiding tiny tubular flowers.; vs Petrorhagia: Silene has an inflated, rounded calyx tube; Petrorhagia has a narrow, cylindrical calyx with papery bracts below.
Frequently asked questions
Is Silene latifolia native to California?
No. Silene latifolia is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Silene latifolia bloom?
Silene latifolia blooms Summer-fall.
Where in California does Silene latifolia grow?
Silene latifolia occurs in Los Angeles, Siskiyou, Tulare, Plumas, Mariposa, Modoc, Nevada, Placer and other counties, at elevations of < 1000 m.
What plant family does Silene latifolia belong to?
Silene latifolia is in the Caryophyllaceae family, genus Silene.
What habitat does Silene latifolia grow in?
Silene latifolia grows in Fields, roadsides.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.