Maltese Cross (Silene chalcedonica)

General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit:	Herb/Forb
Life cycle:	Perennial
Sun Requirements:	Full Sun Full Sun to Partial Shade
Minimum cold hardiness:	Zone 4a -34.4 °C (-30 °F) to -31.7 °C (-25 °F)
Maximum recommended zone:	Zone 10b
Plant Height:	3-5 feet
Plant Spread:	18-24 inches
Leaves:	Other: tend to suffer in hot summer weather, leaves look burned
Flowers:	Showy
Flower Color:	Orange Red Other: Scarlet-orange
Flower Time:	Late spring or early summer Summer Late summer or early fall
Uses:	Cut Flower
Wildlife Attractant:	Bees Butterflies Hummingbirds
Resistances:	Deer Resistant Rabbit Resistant
Propagation: Seeds:	Suitable for wintersowing Can handle transplanting
Propagation: Other methods:	Division
Awards and Recognitions:	RHS AGM

Common names

Maltese Cross
Scarlet Lighning
Burning Love
Common Rose Campion
Constantinople Campion
Fireball
Flower of Bristol
Flower of Constantinople

Botanical names

Accepted: Silene chalcedonica
Synonym: Lychnis chalcedonica

Photo Gallery

Uploaded by DianeSeeds

Uploaded by Calif_Sue

Uploaded by Southamerica

Location: North Eastern Pennsylvania
Date: 2011-06-21

Uploaded by Carolyn22

Location: Cedarhome, Washington
Date: 2011-07-13

Uploaded by Bonehead

Location: Woodbridge , Va
Date: 2017-05-26

Uploaded by krobra

Location: Nora's Garden - Castlegar, B.C.
Date: 2019-07-02
- Brilliant orange blossoms surround a Phlox paniculata stem.

Uploaded by HemNorth

Location: Darwell Rolling Woods, Alberta
Date: 2007-05-26

Uploaded by darwellwoods

Location: Allentown, Pennsylvania
Date: 2015-06-04

Uploaded by plantrob

Uploaded by Joy

Uploaded by pitimpinai

Location: In my garden in Kalama, Wa.
Date: 2008-07-09

Uploaded by Joy

Uploaded by molanic

Location: Photo by Carol Bacskai; zone 5b, Yorkville, IL
Date: 2023-06-16

Uploaded by Artsee1

Location: all photos from my garden
Date: 2015-05-15

Uploaded by poisondartfrog

Location: Cincinnati, Oh
Date: June 2011
Maltese Cross in fifth year of growth

Uploaded by kqcrna

Location: Brownstown Pennsylvania
Date: 2017-07-06

Uploaded by nativeplantlover

Uploaded by Joy

Location: Botanical Garden of Berlin
Date: 2022-06-08

Uploaded by RuuddeBlock

Uploaded by RuuddeBlock

Location: Nora's Garden - Castlegar, B.C.
Date: 2017-06-24
8:14 pm. Such a rich orange red.

Uploaded by HemNorth

Location: Cincinnati, Oh
Date: JMay 2008
Wintersown Maltese Cross

Uploaded by kqcrna

Uploaded by 4susiesjoy

Uploaded by Natalie

Location: Botanical Gardens of the State of Georgia...Athens, Ga
Date: 2017-09-20
Maltese Cross 001

Uploaded by dawiz1753

Location: Botanical Gardens of the State of Georgia...Athens, Ga
Date: 2017-09-18
Natures Crystal - Maltese Cross 003

Uploaded by dawiz1753

Uploaded by gardengus

Location: Main Botanical Garden at the Academy of Sciences in Moscow
Date: July
credit: Andrey Korzun

Uploaded by robertduval14

Uploaded by Yorkshirelass

Uploaded by RuuddeBlock

Uploaded by RuuddeBlock

Location: Ruhlig Greenhouses, Taylor, MI
Date: 2013-06-17

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Uploaded by plantrob

Location: Denver Metro CO
Date: June 09
Did not survive zone 5 winter that year.

Uploaded by Skiekitty

Uploaded by vic

Photo Courtesy of Lazy S'S Farm Nursery.

Uploaded by Joy

Uploaded by Joy

Courtesy Gardens in the Wood of Grassy Creek

Uploaded by vic

Photo Courtesy of Garden Perennials. Used with Permission.

Uploaded by Joy

This plant is tagged in:

Comments:

Posted by kqcrna (Valencia, Pa - Zone 6a) on Sep 29, 2011 9:13 AM concerning plant:

Maltese Cross produces large, showy, bright red flowers in spring and early summer. They bloom from top to bottom of the plant over several weeks. After that, when the heat of summer arrives, foliage looks stressed and tends to brown. It works best for me to cut down the entire plant then, leaving only about 8 inches of stem length. A fresh, new rosette of leaves grows. During this time it looks best if screened partially by other growing, emerging plants.

Reply to this comment
Posted by jmorth (central Illinois) on Oct 7, 2015 11:35 AM concerning plant:

Pertaining to Silene chalcedonica: "Chalcedonica" epithet refers to Chalcedon, an ancient town in present-day Turkey.
My attempt to grow this plant, unfortunately, was a failure.

Reply to this comment

Plant Events from our members
lovesblooms	On June 1, 2015	Bloomed 1st blooms from 2014 wintersown plant
lovesblooms	On March 30, 2015	Seeds germinated
lovesblooms	On January 25, 2015	Seeds sown winter sown
christine2	On June 1, 2014	Obtained plant 3, <
MrsBinWY	On March 31, 2018	Potted up 16
MrsBinWY	On February 26, 2018	Seeds germinated 4
MrsBinWY	On February 18, 2018	Seeds sown medium-warm room temp; 16 seeds from DianaKM
srinehart	On May 24, 2020	Obtained plant Purchased Versailles $5.00
antsinmypants	On May 9, 2021	Plant emerged
antsinmypants	On April 27, 2021	Seeds sown Plug flat two row 18
paleohunter	On June 20, 2022	Bloomed
paleohunter	On April 10, 2022	Seeds sown
paleohunter	On September 12, 2021	Seeds sown

» Post your own event for this plant

Discussion Threads about this plant

Thread Title	Last Reply	Replies
Wow! by zuzu	Oct 16, 2011 5:09 PM	1

« Add a new plant to the database

« The Plants Database Front Page

Silene Maltese Cross (Silene chalcedonica)

Silene
Maltese Cross (Silene chalcedonica)