Night Flowering Catchfly Native Seeds

SILENE NOCTIFLORA

Night Flowering Catchfly is a big deal in the moth world. Studio 54, Moulin Rouge, and Noma rolled into one, all whilst smelling like the inner sanctum of Coco Chanel’s laboratoire in Paris. The guest list is mainly moths and the invite says “arrive after dark”.

By day, it can look fairly modest. Then evening arrives, the flowers open, and the scent starts calling night flying pollinators to the party. It has been linked with old love magic and folklore, which feels entirely reasonable for a plant that basically runs a secret nightclub for moths.

Rare, unusual, and properly charismatic, this is one for people who like their gardens with a little nocturnal mischief.

Night Flowering Catchfly likes sunny, open ground and free draining soil. It is an annual, so it can flower in the same year from a spring sowing.

Rip - Clear weeds, grass, and debris. Rake the soil so you have a loose, open surface.

Scatter - Scatter the seed thinly across the soil.

Sow - Press the seed gently into the surface so it makes contact with the soil. Do not bury it deeply.

When to sow - For best results sow from March to May for flowers in the same year. You can also sow from August to November for stronger plants the following year.

Where to sow - Choose a sunny spot with open, free draining soil and low competition. It works well in annual wildflower patches, sunny borders, and wilder garden edges.

After sowing, keep the soil lightly moist while the seeds get going.

Once you can see green shoots, keep grass and big weeds from crowding them out. Do not feed it. Rich soil can encourage too much leafy growth and competition.

If seedlings are crowded, gently pull a few out so the strongest ones have space. Once growing, it should not need much fuss.

Night Flowering Catchfly usually flowers from June to September, opening in the evening and releasing scent for night flying pollinators.

It typically grows around 30 to 60 cm tall, adding something unusual and quietly magical to the garden.

It is an annual, so it flowers and sets seed in one season. Leave some seed heads standing and it may self seed where happy. For daytime colour, it is lovely. For evening drama, it is elite.

Yes, Night Flowering Catchfly can grow in pots.

Use a medium pot with drainage holes. Fill it with peat free, low nutrient compost mixed with sharp sand or grit to keep it open and free draining. Avoid rich compost. Wildflowers are not here for the luxury spa treatment.

Scatter the seed thinly, press it in gently, and place the pot in a sunny spot. Keep lightly moist while the seeds get going. Once growing, water when the compost starts to dry out.

We want your seeds to grow. If you follow our sowing instructions, give them a fair chance, and they still do not grow, we’ll put it right.

Eligible customers can choose either a refund for the seeds that did not grow, or replacement seeds of the same value.

For more information on our policy go to our No Grow No Fee page.