The common name is exactly right. Fire Pink does not bloom pink at all but rather a rich, deeply saturated scarlet, each five-petaled flower notched at the tip in a way that makes the petals look almost ragged. They appear in loose clusters at the tips of hairy, sticky stems that can reach two feet, rising from a basal rosette of dark green leaves. Blooming from late May into early July, the plant bridges the gap between spring ephemerals and summer perennials in the woodland or rocky garden.

Native across the central and eastern United States, Fire Pink is found on wooded bluffs, rocky slopes, and meadows. It is classified as rare or endangered in a handful of states, which makes growing it in cultivation feel genuinely worthwhile. Give it partial sun with afternoon shade, and dry to medium-moist, well-drained soil in sand, gravel, or light loam. It is drought and rocky-soil tolerant, making it a natural for dry woodland edges and rock gardens. Hummingbirds and butterflies seek out the nectar-rich flowers, and the plant reseeds if allowed to, which is the best way to keep it going since it tends toward short-lived behavior in garden conditions.