Silene latifolia subsp. alba
(white campion)

Preferred Scientific Name

• Silene latifolia subsp. alba (Mill.) Greuter & Burdet

Preferred Common Name

• white campion

Other Scientific Names

• Lychnis alba Mill.
• Melandrium album (Mill.) Garcke
• Melandrium vespertinum Fr.
• Silene alba (Mill.) E.H.L. Krause
• Silene pratensis Godr.

International Common Names

• English: bladder campion; campion (white); evening campion; white cockle
• Spanish: colleja blanca
• French: compagnon blanc; lychnis dioique; melandrie blanche
• Chinese: bai jian qiu luo
• Portuguese: assobios

Local Common Names

• Germany: weisse Lichtnelke; weisse Nachtnelke; weisse Waldnelke
• Italy: boccon di pecora; gittaione bianco; melandrio bianco; orecchiella; orecchietta
• Japan: hirohanomantema; Matsuyoisenno
• Netherlands: avondkoekoeksbloem
• Poland: bniec bialy; lepnica biala
• Sweden: vitblaera

EPPO code

• MELAL (Silene latifolia subsp. alba)

• Domain: Eukaryota
•     Kingdom: Plantae
•         Phylum: Spermatophyta
•             Subphylum: Angiospermae
•                 Class: Dicotyledonae
•                     Order: Caryophyllales
•                         Family: Caryophyllaceae
•                             Genus: Silene
•                                 Species: Silene latifolia subsp. alba

The generic name Silene originally given by Linnaeus is thought to derive from the name of the Greek woodland god Selinus who was often depicted drunk and covered in a sticky foam from his drinking (Loudon, 1840); the name therefore alludes to the frothy foam secreted by female flowers of S. dioica (red campion) for capturing pollen. The specific epithet latifolia means wide-leaved, as leaves of S. latifolia subsp. alba are generally wider than those of the closely related S. dioica (First Nature, 2015). The subspecific epithet alba refers to the white colour of the flowers.

The taxonomy of this species is very confused. Most current botanists accept the name Silene latifolia subsp. alba, but in the literature a wide variety of other names can be found, some of them very similar to the names of similar species. Older taxonomic treatments place S. latifolia subsp. alba in the genus Lychnis, which differs from Silene in very small structural details of the flowers; however, Robinson and Fernald (1908) record both L. alba and S. latifolia, while other botanists record this species as S. alba. The differences between taxa were deemed so minor that taxonomists decided to disband Lychnis, absorbing its members into Silene (Flora Pittsburghensis, 2015). S. latifolia subsp. alba was validly published in 1982 in Willdenowia 12:189 (Greuter and Raus, 1982).

The common name 'white campion' is thought to be related to the word 'champion', as the flowers were used in the garlands used to crown the victors in ancient games.

S. latifolia subsp. alba is a biennial or short-lived perennial herb growing to 1 m in height. It has a tap root system which spreads laterally as the plant matures. Stems have hairs on the lower section that become glandular nearer the flower. Leaves are egg-shaped, and lower leaves are up to 10 cm long, reducing in size upward. Stem leaves are opposite. Inflorescences comprise unisexual flowers (plants are dioecious, i.e., either male or female) which are rather showy, evening blooming and scented; there are several to many in open, spreading, leafy-bracted clusters. Petals 5, white, tips wide, deeply notched into 2 lobes, 2 appendages above each petal in the flower centre, dividing into 2 lobes. Sepals 5, united, forming a downy, sticky tube 15-20 mm long. The calyx of the male flower has 10 veins; the female’s 20 veins are longer, and inflate with ripening. Capsules are egg-shaped, to 20 mm long, with 10 teeth. Seeds are about 1.5 mm long, dark bluish-brown, and prominently warty-pimply in concentric rows (Alberta Weed Monitoring Network, 2014).

S. latifolia subsp. alba was introduced multiple times from western and eastern Europe into western and eastern North America (Keller et al., 2012) from about 200 years ago, possibly as a component of ship ballast, which at the time largely comprised sand, stone and soil. It was first reported in Ontario, Canada, in 1875 (Alberta Agriculture and Forestry, 2015). Blair and Wolfe (2004) found that the successful and rapid invasion of North America by the species was due to natural selection favouring individuals with earlier germination, faster growth, greater flower production, and higher survival rates due to release from natural enemies.

Soil drainage

• free

Soil reaction

• acid
• alkaline
• neutral

Soil texture

• heavy
• light
• medium

Natural Dispersal

S. latifolia subsp. alba spreads mostly by seed, but root and stem fragments can establish. Seed is dispersed by wind (Jongejans and Schippers, 1999).

Accidental Introduction

S. latifolia subsp. alba can be spread as a contaminant of lucerne, clover, timothy (Phleum pratense) and other seed crops, and in hay for livestock feeding (Alberta Weed Monitoring Network, 2014).

As S. latifolia subsp. alba seed is similar in size and shape to clover and lucerne seed, it is often encountered as a difficult-to-separate contaminant of commercial seed crops, which results in yield and economic losses in clover and lucerne seed production. It can also contaminate small grains and grass seed (Alberta Agriculture and Forestry, 2015). In Minnesota, USA, approximately 7% of the timothy seed intended for certification is rejected due to S. latifolia subsp. alba contamination (Strand and Wyse, 1982). S. latifolia subsp. alba is also problematic for Washington’s timothy growers (Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board, 2010).

Efforts to extirpate S. latifolia subsp. alba and other invasive alien plants from key conservation areas occupied by the threatened native species S. spaldingii in the western USA was estimated to cost a total of US $8,666,000, with an average yearly cost across the first 5 years of US $349,200. Of the estimated total, roughly a quarter was for surveys and monitoring (US Fish and Wildlife Service, 2007).

Impact on Biodiversity

The presence of S. latifolia subsp. alba can have negative impacts on native plants. One such is the endangered species S. spaldingii (Spalding’s catchfly), a regional endemic found predominantly in bunchgrass grasslands and sagebrush steppe, occasionally in open pine communities, in eastern Washington, northeastern Oregon, west-central Idaho and western Montana in the USA, extending into southern British Columbia, Canada. There are currently 99 known populations, with 66 of these composed of fewer than 100 individuals each. The species was listed as threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in 2001 (US Fish and Wildlife Service, 2001) as it is impacted by habitat loss due to human development, habitat degradation associated with adverse grazing and trampling by domestic livestock and wildlife, and invasions of aggressive non-native plants, including S. latifolia subsp. alba, which can be separated from S. spaldingii by its much larger, inflated flowers. As part of the recovery plan for S. spaldingii, invasive alien plants with the potential to displace it have been continually controlled or eradicated within a 100-m radius of all populations within key conservation areas by utilizing integrated pest management measures. These measures include use of herbicides (e.g., spot spraying), prescribed burning and hand pulling (US Fish and Wildlife Service, 2007).

• Proved invasive outside its native range
• Has a broad native range
• Abundant in its native range
• Has high reproductive potential
• Reproduces asexually

• Ecosystem change/ habitat alteration
• Negatively impacts agriculture
• Negatively impacts livelihoods
• Reduced native biodiversity
• Threat to/ loss of endangered species

• Competition - monopolizing resources
• Pest and disease transmission
• Hybridization

• Highly likely to be transported internationally accidentally
• Difficult to identify/detect as a commodity contaminant
• Difficult/costly to control

Social Benefit

Roots contain saponin which, although mildly toxic, has been used in soap making; soap can be obtained by simmering roots in hot water (First Nature, 2015).

Environmental Services

S. latifolia subsp. alba is noted for attracting wildlife (Plants for a Future, 2015), particularly pollinating insects. Prior to dispersal, seeds are a source of food for noctuid moth larvae (Wright and Meagher, 2003).