Back in 2011 when I worked at Plant Delights in Raleigh, NC, I vividly remember my first encounter with Lychnis coronata 'Orange Sherbet'. We were working in a shady area by Tony's old house, and this flashy orange color caught my eye. It looked unreal, and I had no idea what it was. When I discovered it was a Lychnis, it didn't look like the only other species I knew, the rose campion or Lychnis coronaria.
While most members of the campion genus have sticky or hairy leaves and stems, 'Orange Sherbet' has smooth stems. It's also shorter than rose campion and doesn't seem to produce seed. Therefore it isn't invasive like rose campion. Apparently, all members of this genus are native to the Old World, although rose campion has become naturalized in quite a few states. It is widespread growing in the hills around Ashland, Oregon.
While I'd say these are easy to grow and reasonably vigorous, they prefer some shade- preferably afternoon shade when it's the hottest. My best specimens are all in dappled shade or on the north or east side of my house. They also don't like soggy, poorly drained soils. I know I sound like a broken record, but most of our ornamental plants just don't like heavy clay waterlogged soils. If you are cursed with these soils, build an elevated berm with rich organic matter.
They can also become chlorotic, yellowed foliage, which I guess reflects some kind of nutrient deficiency, though I have no idea what specific kind. It could also be just too much sun. I'm trying to remediate this by applying Holly tone- though I'm unsure about the added Sulfur, which could lower the pH.
And the cultivar name 'Orange Sherbert' couldn't be more appropriate! While I get annoyed with all the allusions to food in horticultural cultivar names, this one is spot on. The floral color seems to evoke this nostalgic frozen treat! But really, we need to move away from naming plants after foods- it's been done ad nauseam!
Plant Delights has recently introduced a new Lychnis with an equally vivid color. Lychnis senno 'Once in a Vermillion' does indeed express the color "vermillion"- which I had to look up. It's defined as a vivid reddish-orange pigment consisting of mercuric sulfide. While the name is apt, I find the wordplay tacky, but to each his own... In my snobbish opinion, this plant deserves a more elegant name.
I've rooted both 'Orange Sherbet' and 'Once in a Vermillion', and I plan on giving some away to my most skilled and attentive plant friends. If you are interested in becoming a trusted plant friend, move to Newnan and take care of your plants!
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