BBC Gardeners' World

Plant details

• Common Name: Ragged robin
• Genus: Lychnis
• Species: flos-cuculi
• Skill Level: experienced
• Exposure: full sun, partial shade
• Hardiness: hardy
• Soil type: acidic, boggy, chalky/alkaline, moist, well-drained/light
• Height: 0.75m
• Spread: 0.8m
• Time to divide plants: March to April
• Time to plant seeds: March to April

Ragged robin is found growing naturally in damp places in Europe, Caucasus and Siberia. It has the typical, flat flower-heads of Lychnis, but these are loose, with only a few individual flowers. They may vary from purplish pink to white and are star-shaped, with deeply cut petals. Plants are slightly hairy and upright or spreading. The blue-green leaves are lance-shaped at the base, becoming more rounded further up the stem. This is an understated, hardy perennial, that you may like to grow in your own wild patch in the garden.