Bladder campion
Silene vulgaris

Family: Caryophyllaceae

What it is like

An erect herb. It keeps growing from year to year. It grows 30-40 cm high. It branches from the base. It is usually without hairs but covered with a waxy bloom. The leaves are oval to sword shaped. The lower leaves are sharply stalked. The upper leaves do not have leaf stalks. The flowers are white. They are carried on long drooping stalks. The sepals join to form a green tube which is fattened. It has 5 triangle shaped teeth. The petals are white and divided into 2 lobes.

There are about 500 Silene species.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It grows in meadows, scrub between 200–2700 m altitude in China. It grows in damp places. It can also grow in dry soil and beside roads. In Argentina it grows between 500-1,000 m above sea level. Tasmania Herbarium.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Alaska, Algeria, Andorra, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Balkans, Bosnia, Britain, Canada, Caribbean, Caucasus, Central Asia, Chile, China, Crete, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Egypt, Europe, France, Georgia, Greece, Haiti, Himalayas, India, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Luxembourg, Mediterranean, Middle East, Mongolia, Morocco, Nepal, New Zealand, North Africa, North America, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Scandinavia, Sicily, Slovenia, South Africa, South America, Spain, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tasmania, Turkey, Türkiye, USA, Uzbekistan, SW Asia, West Indies

How it is used for food

The young leaves are used as a green. They are also cut, fried and used in omelettes. They are used in soups and boiled and stewed. Blanching the new shoots as they emerge from the ground reduces the bitterness. The young shoots less than 5 cm tall are cooked and eaten as a vegetable.

Edible parts

Leaves, fruit, stem, root

How it is grown

Plants can be grown by seed or by division.

Its other names

Local names

Bai yu cao, Bearberry, Bibdughas, Bird's Eggs, Caricieddhu, Cavuleddhu, Cavuraci, Cirvinik, Coletas, Colleja, Cow-bells, Cucina, Dulma, Ecibücü, Engsmelle, Erba della Madonna, Erba striscia, Gariet, Ghantolu, Gicir, Givisgan otu, Gvrk, Hlok, Kinnikinik, Kiskis, Maiden's Tears, Mangotey, Masturek, Mch'ivana, Pokalica, Pucalica, Pucavac obicni, Silene rigonfia, Strouthi, Taghighacht, Tighecht, Tighighit, Tirecht, Toklubasi, Xatun, Yumurta

Synonyms

Behen vulgaris Moench; Cucubalus behen Linnaeus (1753), not Silene behen Linnaeus (1753); Cucubalus latifolius Miller; Cucubalus venosus Gilibert; Oberna behen (L.) Ikonn.; Silene cucubalus Wibel; Silene inflata Smith; Silene inflata var. vulgaris Turczaninow; Silene venosa (Gilibert) Ascherson; Silene wallichiana Klotzsch. 404. 1909; and others