Field Guide
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Ragged Robin
Lychnis flos-cuculi
Not yet photographed by the community
Fringed pink petals; classic damp meadow flower.
Species Profile
Green List (secure in the UK)
- Lifespan
- 2–3 years (short-lived perennial or biennial)
- Size & Weight
- 30–60 cm tall; flowers 1.5–2 cm diameter with deeply fringed petals
- Habitat
- Damp meadows, fens, marshes, and wet grassland with high moisture and often poor drainage.
- UK Distribution
- Found throughout the UK, but more common in northern and western regions; absent from some southern lowland areas. Resident and non-migratory.
- Diet
- Photosynthetic plant; derives nutrients from soil and sunlight.
- Predators
- Slugs, snails, and herbivorous insects may browse seedlings and foliage; no major predators target the mature plant specifically.
- Mating Season
- May to July (flowering period)
- Breeding
- Produces numerous small seeds dispersed by wind and water; self-seeds readily in suitable damp conditions; reproduces sexually via seed.
- Behaviour
- Ragged Robin is a typical wetland specialist that thrives in nutrient-poor, waterlogged soils. It forms dense colonies in suitable habitats and is an excellent indicator of healthy wet grassland. The plant is pollinated by insects, particularly flies and butterflies attracted to its distinctive bright pink flowers.
- •The name 'Ragged Robin' refers to the distinctive deeply fringed and jagged petals that give the flower a ragged appearance.
- •It is sometimes called 'Cuckoo Flower' in parts of the UK, though this name is more commonly applied to Lady's Smock (Cardamine pratensis).
- •The bright magenta-pink flowers are a reliable indicator of wet meadows and are often seen in traditional hay meadows during early summer.
- •Ragged Robin has declined significantly in the UK due to drainage of wetlands and agricultural intensification, making it a valued plant for wetland restoration projects.
- •The plant produces mucilaginous (sticky) seeds that can adhere to passing animals, aiding dispersal across waterlogged terrain.
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