Lychnis (Lychnis Arkwrightii Vesuvius) - Grow this attractive plant from Lychnis seeds and have both gorgeous orange-red blooms and purple colored foliage. The combination is striking! This flowering Lychnis plant commands attention when it's in bloom during the summer months, and hummingbirds cannot stay away from the brightly colored flowers! Commonly, this perennial is called Arkwright's Campion.

This Arkwright's Campion plant grows 16 - 20 inches tall, with erect stems and is hardy in zones 3 - 10 in normal environmental conditions. Arkwright's Campion flowers are a brilliant orange-scarlet color like molten lava flowing from the volcano, Mt. Vesuvius (hence the name), and they are simple in form with 5 deeply notched petals measuring 1 1/4 - 2 inches across.

Sow Lychnis seeds indoors 6 - 8 weeks before the last frost is expected. Use well-draining starter soil. Sow the Lychnis seeds on the surface, lightly covered. Keep seed continuously moist until germination. Some gardeners will cover with plastic wrap to keep humidity high. Transplant outdoors after danger of frost. Lychnis care includes watering deeply throughout the growing season, mulching around the base to keep the roots cool, and deadheading spent blooms to prolong the blooming season. Let the last blooms go to seed so that Lychnis can re-seed itself. If re-seeding is not desired, cut the stems back down to basal growth after blooming.