Japanese name: ムギセンノウ（麦仙翁） Scientific name:Agrostemma githago
[Overview]
An annual 60–100 cm tall.
The whole plant is hairy, and the stem is slender and branches in the upper part.
The leaves are simple and opposite, lanceolate to linear, 4.5–14.5 cm long, and rise at an angle.
The leaf margins are entire.
A 5-petaled flower 3–5 cm across is borne singly at the branch tips.
The flowers are pink to pale reddish purple, with reddish purple lines and black dotted markings.
There are 10 stamens.
The fruit is a capsule.
[Uses]
Although a poisonous plant, it is used as a folk medicine.
[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed.
It also spreads readily from self-sown seed.
It prefers a sunny, well-drained, slightly alkaline soil.
It is hardy and easy to grow.
For plants in the ground, rainfall is sufficient.
If fertilizer is applied at planting, no further fertilizer is particularly needed.
The stems are slender and fall over easily, so it is best to set up stakes when the plant grows tall.
Pests and diseases include gray mold and aphids.
