Dianthus

( dye - ANTH - us )

At-A-Glance Information

Commonly referred to as Carnations, Sweet William, or simply Pink, this genus of perennials, biennials and annuals need light shade in the hottest climates and regular water. The colorful flowers will attract butterflies and other pollinators to your garden. Most species form evergreen mats of foliage, and spring to summer flowers come in single, semi-double or double forms in colors like white, pink, rose, red, yellow and orange. Many species' blooms have a rich, spicy fragrance. Use these classic flowers in mixed beds, in pots, as border plantings, or massed together. Take care when planting certain species in your garden, as ingestion of plant parts can cause toxicity reactions in humans and pets.

Dianthus Species and Varietals

The genus Dianthus is comprised of 300 species (including a wide variety of hybrids), and is a member of the plant family Caryophyllaceae. The genus is was named by Ancient Greek botanist Theophrastus, and means divine (dios) flower (anthos). The best growing zones for Dianthus vary depending on the species. For more information, see the descriptions below. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.

Dianthus acicularis
This perennial species of Pink is native to eastern European Russia and western Siberia, Kazakhstan, and China. This species has a good resistance to bacterial wilt, and therefore is used in many modern carnation breeding programs. Fragrant flowers are white, and petals are fringed n the outer edge. Foliage is green.

Dianthus alpinus (Alpine Pink)
​These plants form low mats of grey-green foliage and produce deep cerise pink flowers with white spots in June through August. Alpine Pink is native to the eastern Alps in Austria. These plants prefer to be situated in full sun, and are wonderful for cooler-climate rock gardens.

Dianthus Allwoodii hybrids
This perennial plants vary in size, most conforming to a shape 12-15 inches tall and 24 inches wide. Foliage is grey-green and blossoms bloom two per stem. Flower colors come in pink, white or red and smell of clove. They have a long blooming period if deadheaded regularly.

Dianthus arenarius (Sand Pink)
This perennial hails from Europe and gets to 1.5 feet tall and wide. Leaves are grass-like and green; flowers are white and sometimes fringed in green or purple. These are highly fragrant plants, and can also tolerate some shade, making them great candidates for planting beds under canopy coverage. Variety 'Little Maiden' is a dwarf cultivar.

Dianthus armeria (Deptford Pink, Grass Pink)
This wildflower-type Dianthus is native to most of Europe and has naturalized in many areas of North America and New Zealand. These are annual or biennial plants that reach about 2 feet tall at maturity, and have a very slender appearance, hence the common name Grass Pink. These plants prefer to grow in open grassy areas and in disturbed soils. Flowers are scentless, and close up in low light conditions.

​Dianthus barbatus (Sweet William)
This species is biennial but commonly is treated as an annual and is from southern Europe. It gets 20 inches tall and 12 inches wide, and has sturdy stems with green leaves. Flowers form in dense clusters of white, pink, rose, red, purplish, or bicolor. They are not as fragrant as other species. Seeds can be sown in late spring for bloom in the following year. Varieties with double blooms and dwarf habits are also available. Common varietals include 'Indian Carpet' (up to 6 inches tall) and those in the Amazon series (to 18-36 inches tall).

Dianthus broteri
Endemic to Portugal and Spain, this species of Dianthus produces very fringed flower petals in shades of pink to white. They prefer to grow near coastal areas.

Dianthus calizonus (Beauty's Girdle, Garofita Pietrei Craiului)
This species is endemic to Romania, and produces open-faced pink flowers with dark pink markings. Foliage is light greyish green and forms a basal tuft, from which spring and summertime flower stems emerge each year.

​​Dianthus caryophyllus (Carnation, Clove Pink)
This perennial grows best in zones A2, A3, 1-24 and H1. Native to the Mediterranean, this is a highly popular species that includes two types of plants: those bred for florists and border varieties. Both types have double flowers, a branching habit and are often woody at the base.
Dianthus chinensis (Chinese Pink, Rainbow Pink)
This species is used as a biennial or short-lived perennial, and many varieties are grown as annuals. They have an erect habit, growing 6-30 inches tall and 6-10 feet wide. Flowers are rosey lilac with deeper colored eyes and are not fragrant. Varietals are more compact with flowers in white, pink, red, or bicolor. Common varieties are outlined below.
'Fire Carpet'
A selection with solid red blooms.
'Snowfire'
​White flowers have a red eye.
Telstar Strain
This variety grows 6-8 inches tall and has a bushy habit and dark green leaves.

​Dianthus deltoides (Maiden Pink)
This perennial is native to Europe and Asia, and forms an 8-12 inch tall mat that is about a foot wide. Flower colors come in white and shades of rose and purple, and are usually spotted with lighter colors. These bloom in summer and at times again in fall. Can be used as a groundcover. Varieties include 'Albus' (white flowers), 'Arctic Fire' (white flowers with red centers), 'Brilliant' (with red-pink blooms), and 'Pixie Star' (pink flowers with dark pink centers).

Dianthus giganteus (Giant Pink)
This Romanian native species is useful in beds in which a taller background plant is needed. They produce pink flowers in terminal infloresences. Giant Pink reaches about 3 feet tall at maturity.

​Dianthus gratianopolitanus (Dianthus caesius) (Cheddar Pink, Clove Pink)
This perennial from Europe forms a neat, foot-wide mat of bluish green foliage and flowers in pink to rose. They are very fragrant, and last spring though fall. This species is great in rock gardens and when used as a groundcover. Varieties include 'Firewitch' (with magenta flowers, pictured), 'Baths' Pink' (with soft pink flowers on 12-15 inch tall stems), and 'Tiny Rubies' (dwarf plant with double ruby-red flowers).

​Dianthus hyssopifolius (Fringed Pink)
Native to Portugal, Spain and France (and an introduced plant in Great Britain). These subshrubs are commonly available at nurseries, producing beautifully fringed flowers in pink to purple. 

Dianthus japonicus (Seashore Pink)
This perennial species of Dianthus produces thick, ovate foliage that differs from that of most other species in the genus. Flowers are white to pink, and petals are fringed on the outer edges. These plants are native to Japan, and prefer to grow in rocky coastal habitats. In cooler weather, foliage takes on darker red hues.

Dianthus pavonius (Peacock-Eye Pink)
This species of Pink is native to France and Italy's mountainous areas, and produces a plant that reaches about 10 inches at maturity. Pink flowers are borne on short stems in the months of April and May, and have blue or brown centers. These flowers prefer growing in grasslands and sunny areas.
Dianthus plumerius (Cottage Pink, Wild Pink, Garden Pink)
This perennial grows best in zones A1 and 1-24 and is native to Europe. It has many hybrid varieties, outlined below. Tpically, it forms a loose grey-green mate 2 feet wide, with flower stems reaching 10-28 inches tall and spicy-fragrant flowers. Flowers are commonly dark centered and come in rose, pink, or white.
'Essex Witch'
Semi-double rose-colored flowers bloom atop 5-inch tall stems.
'Sweetness'
Flowers have dark centers and top 4-inch stems. 
'Musgrave's Pink'
200-year old variety that is a garden classic, stands at 1 foot tall and produces highly fragrant, single white blooms with green eyes. 

Caring for Dianthus

Dianthus flowers should be planted in a spot in the garden that receives full sun to light shade. Seed can be direct sown in the garden, or gardeners can purchase a starter plant at a reputable nursery. If starting Dianthus seeds indoors, start them 10 to 12 weeks before your last frost of the year. Space plants 6 to 12 inches apart in the garden for best airflow. Dianthus prefers well-draining soil that is moderately fertile and has a pH of around neutral (7.0).  If local soils are particularly poor in nutrients or do not drain well, make sure to amend the planting area with plenty of organic compost before installing. Dianthus can be planted either in-ground or in containers. Mulch can be used around these plants, but it is of utmost importance that it is kept outside the plant's drip line, and does not touch any foliage at any time. Good air circulation is needed to prevent crown rot in Dianthus plants. Water new plants regularly as they establish a strong root system. Mature plants need water when the soil is dry to the touch in the top inch or two.

Each year in springtime, apply a 2-inch layer of organic compost around the planting area to improve soil structure, drainage, and nutrient load. This feeding should be sufficient to provide these flowers with enough nutrients to get through their growth and flowering seasons with ease. Pruning is not necessary, but if any foliage is becoming unsightly, it can be removed at any time during the growing season. Spent flowers can be removed to neaten up the look of plants and encourage more blooms to pop. If propagating these plants via seed, the flowering stalks will need to remain and berries will eventually mature, providing seeds for the next generation of plants.

Propagation

Dianthus can be propagated either by using cuttings or from seed. To ensure that your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, use the cutting method. If you would like to experiment and see what plant you can grow from seed, just keep in mind that it will not necessarily be the same as the parent plant. To propagate your Sweet William, follow the instructions below:

Propagating Dianthus by Cutting
  1. Gather your materials. You'll need a clean, sanitized, sharp pair of garden shears, rooting hormone, a pencil, and a 3-inch pot filled with well-draining compost or other organic material. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand.
  2. In spring or early summertime, choose the plant that you'd like to propagate. Ensure that this plant has had a good watering the night before, as this will improve the chances your cutting will take root. Cut one or more 3-4 inch portion(s) of the end of a non-blooming branch and strip the leaves off of the lower half. Make a hole in your planting medium by pushing your pencil into the soil. Dip the end of the stem in rooting hormone, and plant it in your pot. Fill in soil around the cutting to support it, but do not pack it down too much.
  3. Moisten with water, and ensure that the pot has good drainage. Your pot should be kept in warm, sunny conditions indoors (and not in direct sunlight). Water whenever your soil is dry under the top layer. After about four to six weeks have passed, your cutting should be rooted. When you notice new growth, you'll know you have roots. 
  4. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring, when you can transplant it to its new home. Ensure that the last frost of the year has occurred before doing this, as it can seriously damage your new flower.

Propagating Dianthus by Seed
  1. Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand. You will also, after a few weeks, need individual 3-inch pots for each seedling that grows. 
  2. Harvest your seeds. The seed heads on Dianthus plants are pretty easy to find, they're left behind after flowers have faded. Once they have dried out, you can harvest the seeds inside. Cut them off of the plant, placing them in a paper bag. Harvest as many as you can, and place the paper bag in a dry, cool, dark area. They will begin to split open and release the seeds contained inside, or they can be manually opened. Once seeds have been released, take them out of the bag and put them in a container so you can work with them.
  3. Water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your prepared pot or seed tray on the soil surface and cover them with a light layer of soil. Water with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination usually takes around 10 days after sowing. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
  4. Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.
Dianthus spent flowers will turn into seed pods if left on plants.
Dianthus seeds are small and dark brown to black in color.

Problems and Pests

Dianthus flowers can be susceptible to developing problems with the following pests and diseases in the landscape:
  • Cutworms
  • Aphids
  • Slugs and Snails
  • Thrips
  • Spider Mites
  • Caterpillars
  • Leafminers
  • Sclae
  • Weevils
  • Blight
  • Root, Stem, and Crown Rot
  • Powdery Mildew
  • Impatiens Necrotic Virus
For more information on these pests and diseases, including how to treat and prevent them, consult the following pages:
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Gallery

Dianthus species offer cultivars that have many different colors of blooms.
Dianthus in a raised rock planter.
Here, light pink Dianthus graces the base of a bird bath with color.
Dianthus flowers have a scent that will draw pollinators to the garden.
Dianthus makes a great low edging for lawn areas or patios.
Deadheading Dianthus flowers will encourage more blooms to emerge.
This bed features pink Dianthus, yellow Viola, Anise Tree, and Dusty Miller.
Dianthus brings color to two beds in this garden by the water.
In this informal garden, Dianthus is planted on the sides of a beautiful stone stairway.

Videos

Why you should be growing these fragrant flowers.
Deadheading Dianthus plants.

Resources

How to Grow Pinks (Dianthus)
How to Grow Perennial Dianthus
Dianthus Plants: How to Grow Dianthus
How to Grow Dianthuses: The Complete Dianthus Flower Guide
Wikipedia: Dianthus
The New Sunset Western Garden Book: The Ultimate Gardening Guide (2012) - Pages 285 - 286, Dianthus (Pink)
If you have any questions, comments, concerns, or photos you’d like to add to the gallery, please let me know by sending me a message using the button below!
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