Lychnis alpina (syn Viscaria alpina)

[Hoy]

This plant, "fjelltjæreblom" (Lychnis alpina) you can find in the mountains where the soil contains heavy elements like copper.

[Todd Boland]

This species is found in serpentine soils in Newfoundland....strangely, we have two abandoned copper mines where they grow on the tailings...these mines are very distant from the "natural" range of L. alpina...amazing how the plants found the sites!

[cohan]

Funny, I just picked up a plant ($1 end of season) that is supposed to be this, and googling gave me this page among others..lol
The plant I have has much darker leaves, though, wonder if its correctly labelled... maybe just the garden version

[Lori S.]

Sounds nice... and what a good buy!  
I used to have lots of Lychnis viscaria, though not with dark leaves... they did have dark, sticky stems though (hence "viscaria"); must take a look tomorrow and see how many are still around.



Edit:  Just thinking... I assume your plant is not likely in bloom so you only have the basal rosette to go on?  So, a lychnis with dark leaves... if the leaves are broader too, maybe Lychnis x arkwrightii?  (This is another one that used to be in the garden centers around here but haven't seen it in years.)

[cohan]

It's a small plant, in a small pot; yes, no flowers now, it was tagged L alpina, though of course those sort of places can easily have labels moved around.. leaves are narrow, almost grassy, though not that long and recurved a bit.. Actually my first thought before reading the tag was Armeria-- maybe it is...lol
Googling each just now, it still could be Lychnis... both seem variable; I'll try to get a pic in the next days, otherwise I'll see what happens in spring..lol

[Lori S.]

Hmm, I bought a very dark-foliaged Armeria (the one pictured below) once... didn't last long though, unfortunately.  Have a look for comparison:
http://www.bylands.com/plant/black-leaved-sea-thrift-armeria-maritima-vesuvius

[cohan]

Nothing like that picture for sure, but you really can't see the leaves (if there was a close-up I missed it?) but when googling I did see some pics that showed leaves that could be my plant, though most looked too narrow; I'll still try to get a pic, but not sure if it will be in the next couple of days- Red Deer for shopping , and trying to clean my mom's house etc...lol

I'm patient anyway, if it flowers next year I'll know for sure