Silene coronaria (Caryophyllaceae), an established alien plant in the flora of Poland

Silene coronaria, a Eurasian herbaceous plant, has been introduced as an ornamental or medicinal plant to many countries worldwide, where it has escaped from cultivation and become established, even invasive in some regions. In Poland, the naturalisation of this species has not yet been confirmed. However, it is often cultivated in gardens, cemeteries, and urban green areas and occasionally escapes from cultivation to grow on roadsides, forest edges, wastelands or garbage dumps. In this study, we update the status of Silene coronaria in the Polish flora by proving its establishment at three sites in the northeastern and central-southern parts of the country. The distribution of the species is illustrated using the ATPOL cartogram method, and its further spread into thermophilic seminatural habitats is discussed.