# starry campion

*Silene stellata*

Its distinctive fringed petals resemble stars, and its sticky, hairy calyx deters ants and other non-pollinating insects from stealing its nectar.

- **Taxonomy:** Plantae › Tracheophyta › Magnoliopsida › Caryophyllales › Caryophyllaceae › Silene
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** forest
- **Habitat:** Open deciduous woods, rocky slopes, and tallgrass prairies
- **Diet:** Autotrophic (photosynthetic)
- **Range:** Eastern United States, Central United States, Ontario, Canada
- **Size:** 30 to 100 cm tall
- **Lifespan:** Perennial (typically 3-8 years)
- **Active:** crepuscular
- **Threats:** Habitat destruction, displacement by invasive plant species, and excessive herbivory by overpopulated white-tailed deer.
- **Safe to approach?:** Harmless. You can safely approach and photograph this delicate wildflower. Do not pick or trample them, as they are key food sources for native nocturnal pollinators.

## About

Silene stellata (known by the common names starry campion and widow's frill ), is a perennial summer flowering forb with white flowers, which is native to the Eastern United States. It grows in habitats such as forests, river flats, and tall grass prairies.

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/bdbfde17-8e18-47c3-b017-2d0dac32a7a5
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/128942
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silene stellata
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/353169921/medium.jpeg (Michael J. Papay, CC-BY, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.