It is said in Greek mythology that campion gets its botanic name, ‘Silene dioica’ from the drunken and jovial god of the woodlands, Silenus, who gave his own name to the flower.

The campion marks the arrival of spring by its bloom and therefore is also known as the ‘cuckoo flower’. This herb can be either a biennial or a perennial. These dioecious flowers are available usually some shades of red but at times pink and white varieties are also to be seen. The beautiful flowers attract bumble bees and hoverflies that help in the pollination of the flowers. The slender feathery stalks have basal leaves that are somewhat oval in shape. The upper leaves are also oval but have more hair-like growth on them. After the flowering season, the plant bears numerous tiny fruits with wings.

This short-lived plant grows well in shaded areas and is familiar in places like dense forests, in the shades of gardens, hedgerows etc. Since it requires highly fertile soil it prefers places like coastal areas, crevices of rocks and cliffs, etc. The plant can be found growing all over Europe, Asia, Greenland, North America, North Africa as well as in Britain.