At the base of an oak tree near the barn, I discovered three small plants of what I thought was lamb’s ear. The leaves were small, silver-green and slightly furry in appearance and texture. Each plant was about the size of my palm and probably only about three inches high at most.
I decided to relocate the plants to a sunnier spot under my kitchen window where I had established a garden bed to see if they would enjoy a more hospitable environment than dry shallow soil around tree roots.
A year later, I’m happy to report the plants are thriving and now measure about 28 inches tall! However, the plants are not lamb’s ear. They’ve been identified by my photo app as Rose Campion.
I’m guessing my Great Aunt Dorothy (this was her home) planted the Rose Campion many years ago, but it wasn’t in a spot where it could thrive; although, it did manage to survive for a long time.
While researching Rose Campion online, I found out they have either magenta or white blooms and each plant only blooms bi-annually. However, they also readily re-seed themselves and once established can have the effect of blooming every year. I’m anxiously awaiting blooms on my plants to find out their color.
Refer to the following links for more information on Rose Campion:
Piedmont Master Gardeners – Rose Campion
University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service – Rose Campion