Silene, a Popular Flower for Bouquets (Characteristics & Flower Language)

Hello! Today, I'm going to introduce another interesting flower! The flower I'm going to tell you about today is called Silene. Isn't it an exotic name? But this flower has a Korean name. It's called "Kkeunkkeuni Daenamul" (Sticky Catchfly). Doesn't it sound more familiar now? Although cultivated flowers are slightly different in shape from wildflowers, their basic appearance is the same. So, shall we learn about the Silene flower right away?

When I first saw this flower, it reminded me of the Dianthus plant. The color and shape were similar, so I got confused with Dianthus. The English name for Silene is Catchfly, and it belongs to the Caryophyllaceae family and is an annual or biennial herb. It originates from Europe and grows in gardens and along the coast. It thrives near rivers and seashores, and it's often cultivated for its beautiful flowers as an ornamental plant.

The entire plant appears to be covered in a white powder, and it's hairless. The stem grows up to about 50 cm tall, hairless, and has a whitish-gray color. A sticky, brown sap comes out from beneath the nodes in the upper part of the stem, but sometimes it's absent. The petals are 5 in number, spreading horizontally when they bloom, and the calyx is 5-lobed. It's an annual or biennial herb cultivated as an ornamental plant in gardens and near houses. Its origin is Europe.

Silene is one of the materials used in flower bouquets. True to its Korean name, Kkeunkkeuni Daenamul (Sticky Catchfly), it has a sturdy stem, and a sticky sap comes out of the stem, which is how it got its name.

So, aren't you curious about the flower's meaning? It symbolizes "Youthful Love, Young Love, and Trap." Youthful and young love can cool down quickly as it is intense, but everyone believes that their love will last forever when they are in love. In that sense, I think the flower meaning of "Trap" makes sense.

Silene has a wildflower-like appearance with star-shaped flowers, and its stem is divided into sections like bamboo. Due to its beautiful flower shape, it is used in floristry. It looks beautiful in a large bouquet and is also great for adding as an accent.

This concludes the introduction to Silene. I will introduce another interesting plant in the future. Thank you!