

Dianthus
Botanical name: Dianthus
Dianthus
Botanical name: Dianthus


Description

There are annuals, perennials, and biennials that can be classified as dianthus. Colorful blossoms in a variety of petal shapes and sizes make these flowers a gardener's favorite. The classic fringed edge is a natural accent to the flower's petals. Often admired for their scent, dianthus flowers emit a sweet, spicy fragrance that complements the beauty of the blossom.

Species of Dianthus


Feathered pink 'Coral Reef'
A cultivar of Dianthus, feathered pink 'Coral Reef' is an evergreen perennial that produces masses of fragrant double flowers. Its name derives from the blooms' coral-colored petals, which fade to white along the frilled margins. This cultivar belongs to the Scent First® series of Garden Pinks, in turn developed by England-based Whetman Pinks for its spicy fragrance, compact habit and long blooming season.

Pinks 'Fire and Ice'
Pinks 'Fire and Ice' is characterized by compact blooms with unique coloring: a dark, rich raspberry pink with a crisp white edge. This highly contrasting pattern inspired their name. They are unlike many other pinks because their flowers are rounder and smoother. They are short, with dense foliage, making them ideal for edging.

Pinks 'Coconut Surprise'
Pinks 'Coconut Surprise', probably named for the coconut-white flowers with surprising red interiors, is a dianthus cultivar by Whetman Pinks. It is an award-winning cultivar. Gardeners appreciate the plant's hardiness: It is drought-resistant, good in rocky soil, and resistant to deer and rabbits. It is great for pollinators and has a strong, pleasing fragrance.

Pinks 'Raspberry Swirl'
Pinks 'Raspberry Swirl' is named for the picotee pattern on its petals, which swirls together maroon and pale pink. Pinks 'Raspberry Swirl' is very compact and floriferous, and the flowers are a bright addition to any garden. It is easy to grow and reliable. As a bonus, it will attract pollinators to the garden.

Pinks 'Claret Joy'
Originating from Dianthus Joy, the pinks 'Claret Joy' variety was introduced in 1987. As its wine-inspired name suggests, Claret Joy has a darker pink flower than Joy. Gardeners enjoy its vibrant double blooms as well as its ability to grow on slopes as well as in flower beds.

Pinks 'Rose Joy'
A vibrant, hot pink flower is the key feature of the pinks 'Rose Joy', and also the inspiration for its name. These eye-catching blooms are 6 cm wide and smell strongly and richly of cloves. This cultivar has been created specifically for the size and rich color of these blooms, as well as its hardiness in pots and beds.

Carnation 'King of the Blacks'
The carnation 'King of the Blacks', as its name suggests, was bred for its startling, rich, dark-red blooms which smell of cloves. The color is the closest carnations get to actual black flowers. This cultivar is used to provide a burst of unusual color in gardens or cut arrangements. Its flowers are uniquely tufted and appear in summer.

Pinks 'Starlette'
Pinks 'Starlette' is a dianthus or pinks cultivar. This hybrid variant was bred for its bright pink flowers, with double-ruffled blooms and a good clove scent. It is compact and mound-forming, so ideal for pots and smaller garden beds. It will also withstand very cold temperatures.

Pinks 'Neon Star'
Pinks 'Neon Star' is loved for its sheer vibrance and delectable chocolatey scent; two characteristics that set it apart from the roughly 300 other Dianthus cultivars. It was given its cultivar name "Neon Star" for its appearance, with a color so bright it's impossible to miss, and blooms that are in the shape of a star.

Pinks 'Devon Glow'
Pinks 'Devon Glow' is a bushy variety of dianthus with medium-pink flowers at the end of medium-length stems. The pinks 'Devon Glow' was given the Award of Garden Merit by the Royal Horticultural Society. Gardeners enjoy the flower for its ability to grow along slopes, in gardens, or even in containers.

Sequier's pink
Sequier's pink is a showy evergreen perennial that enjoys stony slopes and shady banks at elevation. This frost-hardy sun lover is noted for its mass of flowers, which are great for cutting. Sequier's pink is named after French botanist Jean-François Séquier and its pink hue.

Sweet william 'Green Ball'
Sweet william 'Green Ball' is a popular Sweet William cultivar prized as a garden plant with extremely ornamental flowers. This cultivar produces unique and unmistakable, perfectly round, ball-shaped, lime green flower heads, hence its name "Green Ball".

Boreal carnation
Boreal carnation is a hardy evergreen found across the northern hemisphere in open alpine meadows and tundra. Its delicate pink and white blooms attract butterflies and hummingbirds, and its leaves have been historically used for medicinal purposes.

Feathered pink 'Gran's Favourite'
A cultivar of Feathered pink, feathered pink 'Gran's Favourite' has lovely white petals that have maroon centers and are laced with dark pink. It's no wonder it's called 'Gran's Favourite'! Luckily, feathered pink 'Gran's Favourite' is one of the longest lasting Feathered pinks available, producing these fragrant blooms from spring to fall. Gardeners also love that it is easy to grow and very hardy.

Alpine pink
Alpine Pink is a short (2 to 10 cm high) perennial with linear to lanceolate leaves 1.5 to 2.5 cm long and 2 to 5 mm wide. Flowering period in summer. Chromosome number: 2n=30.

Cheddar pink 'Firewitch'
Cheddar pink 'Firewitch' is cultivated from the Cheddar pink plant. A winner of the Perennial Plant of the Year, it is a favorite among gardeners. It is named 'Firewitch' for its profusion of pink blooms. Unlike the parent plant and others in the family, the blossoms of cheddar pink 'Firewitch' are fragrant and attract bees and butterflies.

Grass rose pink
Grass rose pink is known and loved for its vibrant pink, aromatic flowers. It's a popular choice amongst gardeners and is cultivated for commercial sale. Pavonius within the plant's Latin name (meaning 'like a peacock') and the plant's common name, Peacock-eye pink, were given for the flowers which have a dark central circle.

Long-calyx fringed pink
Long-calyx fringed pink is a fascinating plant that captivates with its unique characteristics. This perennial flower boasts delicate petals, which form an intricate pattern that resembles artwork. Its striking blooms, available in various vibrant colors, add a touch of beauty to any garden. In addition to its aesthetic appeal, long-calyx fringed pink is highly sought after for its sweet fragrance that can fill the air. With its alluring appearance and delightful scent, long-calyx fringed pink is sure to be a favorite among garden enthusiasts alike.

Sweet william
There are two thoughts on the origin of the sweet william name. The first is that it was named after the Duke of Cumberland, William Augustus. The second is that the name came from the writings of Thomas Tusser, an English poet. In either case, this old-fashioned garden plant (Dianthus barbatus) is a lovely addition to any space.

Sweet william
Sweet william is a flowering herbaceous plant that is extensively used as a decorative plant in gardens. This plant contains edible blooms with a mild flavor that are used as a garnish for a range of cuisine preparations. Birds, bees, moths, and butterflies are drawn to the nectar provided by this plant.

Pinks 'Pop Star'
Pinks 'Pop Star''s popularity comes from its appearance, being the shortest and having the most branches of any balloon flower. Pretty in pink, pinks 'Pop Star' differs from its parent plant, the Dianthus, in the crimson-colored detail at the center of each blossom. It's likely this plant was given the name "Pop Star" because it really does entertain.

Pinks 'WP PASSION'
Pinks 'WP PASSION' is a stunning Dianthus cultivar that produces attractive, double, velvety flowers in a classic shade of cherry red, atop silvery-blue foliage. The name refers to its status as a Whetman Pink and its passionate red color. The cultivar is favored by gardeners for its wonderful bloom color, spicy fragrance, compact growth habit, and long flowering season.

Pinks 'Raspberry Surprise'
Pinks 'Raspberry Surprise' is individual for the compactness of its blooms and free flowering habit. It's exceedingly unique and loved for its profusion of pink flowers with a burgundy centre. This cultivar of Dianthus "Cheddar Pink" was given the name "Raspberry Surpise" for obvious reasons. Just look at the coloration of its flowers! Horticulturalists use pinks 'Raspberry Surprise' in abundance due to its vibrance.

Pinks 'EverLast Burgundy Blush'
A Dianthus cultivar, pinks 'EverLast Burgundy Blush' is noted for its striking, pleasantly fragrant, double, burgundy flowers with frilly, pink edges - the color that probably gives the cultivar its name. The cultivar is popular primarily for its flower colors but also for its ability to bloom three times during one year.

Pinks 'Georgia Peach Pie'
Coloration unmatched by any other, pinks 'Georgia Peach Pie' shows off the palest of pink/peach flowers with a coral colored eye. Pinks 'Georgia Peach Pie' is a Dianthus Hybrid that was named after the popular American dessert, "Georgia Peach Pie". This may have been given because of the color of the centre of the petals.

Pinks 'Grey Dove'
Pinks 'Grey Dove''s either white or gray-colored blooms, clove-like scent, and dusty gray-green foliage give this cultivar a beautifully distinct look. A hybridized variant of dianthus, pinks 'Grey Dove' was suitably named for the dove-like features of its gray leaves. A winner of the Award of Garden Merit, this cultivar won its prestige for its compact and plentiful flowers, unique evergreen foliage, and delightful fragrance.

Pinks 'Widecombe Fair'
Pinks 'Widecombe Fair' is a cultivar of Dianthus named for the Widecombe Fair in Dartmoor, England. This is a blush pink cultivar with a spreading habit and is notable for its clove-like scent. The buds are tinged with peach.

Pinks 'White Joy'
Pinks 'White Joy' is a type of pink or carnation cultivated for its crisp white flowers, which shade into a soft pink at the base. These namesake flowers contrast with the masses of dense, grey-green leaves. This cultivar is evergreen and does well in a wide range of soil types.

Pinks 'Memories'
The multiple award-winning pinks 'Memories' has an improved flowering capability, a spicy scent, and a long bloom season. It was named 'Memories' as it was originally bred to support Alzheimer's research. With a compact habit, the pinks 'Memories' is a repeat flowerer that is used as a cut flower.

Pinks 'Frosty Fire'
Pinks 'Frosty Fire' is is a great name for this Dianthus, with its frosty white stem and leaves crowned by brilliant red flowers. The green-white leaves of pinks 'Frosty Fire' are quite a contrast to the gray or blue-green leaves of the parent plant, and the showy double flowers are far more attractive to gardeners than the five-petaled single flowers of the parent.

Pinks 'Fizzy'
Flowering early and for a long time, the pinks 'Fizzy' is a charming dianthus to add to the garden. Developed by Whetman Pinks, this alpine plant does very well in rock gardens, in edging where the soil is poor, and in containers. It attracts butterflies and bees, but is left alone by deer, so once planted, it brings a lot of low-maintenance value to the garden.

Pinks 'Devon General'
A mound-forming variety of the dianthus, the pinks 'Devon General' produces bright red flowers on top of short, blue-green stems. It is a highly fragrant flower and prized by gardeners for its ability to attract pollinators while adding a compact splash of color to the landscape.

Pinks 'Passion'
Pinks 'Passion' is a compact, bright red, and free-flowering variety of pinks. A member of the award-winning "Scent First" series of hybrids, this cultivar was named after its passionate red color. Pinks 'Passion' is among the award winners for its lovely foliage and flowers, prolific growth, and appeal to pollinators.

Pinks 'Devon Carla'
Pinks 'Devon Carla' forms compact mats with double flowers during the summer. However, the pinks 'Devon Carla' attracts the attention of cultivars for their fragrant blooms, hardiness, and bushy habit. Gardeners can use this plant for cut flower gardens, containers, rock gardens, and slopes.

Pinks 'Starbust'
The pinks 'Starbust' is a vibrantly colored and strongly scented variety of Dianthus. The flowers are double petalled and have a beautiful coloration of red, pink, and white. Gardeners frequently use the plant for borders, though it also works well as a cut flower. In the garden, it attracts butterflies.

Pinks 'Riccardo'
Pinks 'Riccardo' are border carnation cultivars. However, the pinks 'Riccardo' can be planted in banks, slopes, containers, and informal gardens. Gardeners may be interested in the plant for its visual appeal with its bicolor of red and white.

Pinks 'Devon Maid'
The coloration of the pinks 'Devon Maid' distinguishes it from other varieties of Dianthus; the flower is largely white around the outside with a deep red center. It may spread to a width of a 50 cm, making it an option for gardeners who need to cover a smaller space, or need an attractive plant for a bank or slope.

Feathered pink 'Devon Wizard'
This cultivar differs in the way it grows, its shape, and its blooms. The feathered pink 'Devon Wizard', cultivated from the Feathered pink plant, has reddish-purple flowers with the base of its petals colored a deep red. It is valued for its spreading growth and appealing color.

Maiden pink 'Arctic Fire'
Maiden pink 'Arctic Fire' is a captivating perennial with vibrant, fire-red blossoms that contrast beautifully with its silver-green foliage. This lovely plant is known for its long blooming season, attracting a variety of beneficial insects and birds to the garden. Its name, 'Arctic Fire', hints at its ability to withstand cooler temperatures, making it a great addition to gardens in colder climates. With its eye-catching flowers and impressive resilience, this Dianthus cultivar is sure to add a fiery touch to any landscape.

Feathered pink 'Diane'
The feathered pink 'Diane' is renowned for its double flowers and prominent clove fragrance. The source of its name and parentage are unknown. A recipient of the Award of Garden Merit, gardeners may keep the feathered pink 'Diane' for its frost hardiness, many white and red blooms, and its use as a cut flower.

Dianthus haematocalyx
Dianthus haematocalyx, has small, star-shaped flowers in shades of white, pink, and lavender. They are often used as edging plants and ground covers in rock gardens due to their delicate appearance and compact size.

Feathered pink 'Candy Floss'
Feathered pink 'Candy Floss' gets its cultivar name from the resemblance of its flower displays and sweet scent. It is bred from the dianthus plant. The masses of sweetly scented, double pink ruffled blossoms it boasts do bring to mind candy on a stem.

Feathered pink 'Houndspool Cheryl'
The feathered pink 'Houndspool Cheryl' has silver-blue colored leaves and red semi-double flowers. It's thought to be cultivated from D. plumarius 'Doris' but was introduced as a sport of Dianthus ‘Ruby.’ Named for being found in Houndspool in England, it is enjoyed by gardeners for requiring little water and being frost resistant. The flowers also last a long time after being cut.

Dianthus collinus
Dianthus collinus heralds from Alpine meadows but has become a popular ornamental plant valued for its pretty pink flowers which bloom from midsummer well into fall. This is an ideal bed and border plant that is hardy and enjoys conditions of full sunlight and well-drained soils. It was named and first described by Franz de Paula Adam von Waldstein and Pál Kitaibel in 1800.

Cheddar pink
The showy pink flowers of the cheddar pink or Dianthus gratianopolitanus are attractive to butterflies. These pretty pinks are deer resistant, tolerant of high humidity, and drought tolerant. This low-growing perennial will thrive in both flowerbeds and container gardens as long as it has part sun to full sun with a moderate amount of moisture.

Carthusian pink
Carthusian pink (Dianthus carthusianorum) can be found across much of Europe. It is quite hardy and feels at home up to elevations as high as 2500 m. It grows under full sunlight in well-drained sandy or loamy soils. Carthusian pink's bright flowers bloom from summer to fall.

Fringed pink
Dianthus monspessulanus is a hemicryptophyte scapose plant reaching on average 30 to 61 cm of height. The stem is green, erect, glabrous and branched on the top, the leaves are opposite, simple, linear and sessile, more or less erect and flexuous, with a sheath embracing the stem. They are about 3 mm wide and about 10 cm long. The calyx is a green cylindrical tube about 2 cm long, with reddish teeth. The flowers are hermaphrodite, single or gathered in scapes of 3–5 flowers, with 10 stamens. They have five pink or white petals, 1 to 1.5 cm long, with fringed margins (hence the common name). The fruits are capsules with a few seeds.

Dianthus orientalis
Dianthus orientalis, called the Georgian pink, is a species of pink in the carnation family found in the Levant, Anatolia, the Transcaucasus and the North Caucasus, Iraq and Iran, and disjunctly in Tibet and Xinjiang in China. Given its preference for drier, rocky and alkaline soils, and its attractive lilac‑pink flowers which appear in autumn, it is being studied as a potential ornamental plant, and for use on green roofs.

Chinese pink
Chinese pink (Dianthus chinensis) is a perennial flowering herb native to China, Russia, and Mongolia. In the wild, chinese pink grows in dense woodlands and forests. In cultivation, it is a common ornamental plant grow in hanging baskets and planters.

Fringed pink
Fringed pink (Dianthus superbus subsp. alpestris) is an ornamental plant popular for its extravagant pink-white flowers which bloom in summer. These flowers are prized both for their looks and delightful fragrance. Group plantings are the best way to make the most of fringed pink. This subspecies looks similar to its relatives but has a shorter stem, greyer leaves, and grows at higher altitudes.

Wood pink
The stone carnation is a perennial, overwintering green hemicryptophyte. It reaches stature heights between 10 and 30 centimeters. It forms upholstery turf. The simple or upwardly branched stems are bare. The dark green, narrow-linear and rinnigen leaves reach 5 to 10 cm in length. The flowers are red to reddish-violet.

Feathered pink
Feathered pink (Dianthus plumarius) is a compact evergreen perennial that can grow to be 15 to 61 cm tall. It blooms in spring with pink, red or white fragrant flowers. Feathered pink blossoms have a wheel-like shape and a long blooming season. This species grows best in full sunlight. It attracts bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. This species has toxic seeds and can be a skin irritant for people and pets.

Maiden pink
Maiden pink (Dianthus deltoides) is a flowering perennial herb native to Europe and Western Asia. In the wild, maiden pink grows on rocky ground and in grasslands. It is often cultivated as an ornamental plant for its colorful flowers.

Fringed pink
This showy wildflower is a popular garden plant naturally occurring in mountains in Eurasia. Fringed pink is a flower of high altitudes, growing at elevations up to 2400 m. It's the only food source of the large moth (Coleophora muscularly).

Seashore pink
The stem is hairless like stock, and the lower part is made of wood, and the height is 15 to 50 cm. The leaves are thick, glossy, hairless on both sides, but with hair on the edges. The root leaves are in the form of rosettes. The flowering period is 6-11. It is densely attached to the top of the stem, and the petal is a purple triangle with a length of 6 to 7 mm. In the cultivated species, the flower colors are bright red and white, and each has early and late life. The size of the flower is 1.5 cm.

Deptford pink
Deptford pink (Dianthus armeria) is an annual wildflower that grows from 30 to 76 cm tall. It is commonly found growing in disturbed areas and pastures and along roadsides, railroad tracks and woodland edges. It blooms small, yet showy, clusters of pink flowers. The flower's nectar attracts butterflies, skippers, bees and flies. The name refers to an area in England where the plant was once common.

Carnation
Carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus) is a herbaceous ornamental perennial known for its fragrant, distinctive flowers. Wild varieties of this species can be found in the Mediterranean. Carnation has rich symbolism, both in the traditional and religious sense. Its symbolic representations can be found in numerous cultures, from North America to the far East.




Scientific Classification
