THE BLOOMING STARS OF MORRIS PARK

  Starry campion (Silene stellata) blooms in Morris Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Starry campion (Silene stellata) blooms in Morris Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Â
Silene stellata
This flower has been blooming for weeks now.  This is great for the middle of the summer. Its still flowering even while producing seed, as can be noted just above the flower.  An elegant plant with a whorl of leaves on a straight stem, not too tall, about 15 inches high.  Bloom bloom bloom.  This plant is in the business of blooming.  
It is picky too. It likes upland sites that are not disturbed and full of sun-blocking invasives.  It likes the light of tall oaks, a filtered sun.   It fits right in at the Lookout at the end of the Morris Park Road trail. This is a section of high-quality forest with a great species diversity, Mature trees and various native shrubs.
Every day this August this plant  has been blooming, now on both sides of the path. There is a nice patch growing at the foot of a Red Maple tree. Even the leaves are starting to get beaten up, and yet it continues to bloom.
Â