Culture
Best grown in moderately fertile, well-drained soils with consistent and even moisture in full sun to light shade. Tolerates poorer soils with some dryness. Excellent soil drainage is essential. Plants may self-seed in the garden in optimum growing conditions.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Lychnis fulgens is a red-flowered catchfly that is native to Siberia, Manchuria, Korea and Japan. It is a sparsely white-hairy, tufted perennial that typically grows in a clump to 12-24” tall on stems clad with sessile, ovate-lanceolate, medium to dark green leaves (to 3" long). Bright red flowers (to 2 1/2" diameter) with two-lobed petals bloom in few-flowered cymes in early to mid-summer.
Genus name comes from the classical name said to be derived from the Greek word lychnos meaning a lamp possibly referring to the ancient use of leaves of a woolly species for wicks.
Specific epithet means shining or glistening.
Problems
No serious insect or disease problems. Watch for slugs and snails.
Uses
Rock gardens. Border fronts.