Royal Catchfly likes to grow in mesic prairies, preferably in full sun, but can also tolerate some shade. It is an interesting plant because it has red flowers which are rare to have in a prairie. There are only a few other species in prairies that have red flowers like Michigan lily, turk's cap lily, and cardinal flower.
Red flower color is not noticed by most pollinating insects and is therefore favored by a few insects such as certain species of butterflies. As a consequence, royal catchfly is endangered in the state of Illinois and in other prairie states.
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