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Dianthus plumarius
Cottage Pink, Grass Pink
| Cool-weather annuals, biennials, or perennials, their many fringed flowers look as if they were trimmed with pinking shears, winning them their common name. Sweetly clove-scented flowers have a velvety or satiny sheen. Colors include pink, rose, red, purple and white in pure or bicolor flowers with distinctively marked eyes or frosting. China Pinks (Dianthus chinensis) and Sweet Williams (Dianthus barbatus) are grown as low-growing annuals for edging, mass plantings and in containers. Perennials include single- and double-flowered hybrids. Weak-stemmed Florist Carnations (Dianthus caryophyllus), grown outdoors only in mild winter areas, are not the best garden plants. Use Pinks in borders and rock gardens. Smaller types make excellent ground covers, and are good in containers. All make exceptional cut flowers. Most need alkaline soils and cool growing conditions without heat and humidity. Some heat-tolerant varieties are available. In hot summer areas, plant in partial afternoon shade. Cut back or shear after bloom for repeat bloom. Perennials should be restarted frequently by cuttings from disease-free plants in spring or fall, or they die out. |
Grown since colonial times, this favorite has bluish gray foliage and single or double flowers in red, pink, or white. Used to create modern hybrids such as 'Agatha', 'White Lady', and seed strains 'Sonata' and 'Spring Beauty'.
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Attributes - Dianthus plumarius
Plant Type: Perennial
Bloom Season: Early Summer through Late Summer
Flower Color: Pink, Red, White
Foliage: Evergreen
Height: 6 in. to 1 ft.
Width: 8 in.
Sunlight: Full Sun
Climate: Zones 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
Notes: Thrives in Alkaline Soil. Container Plants, Fragrant, Long Blooming. Susceptible to Black Spot, Root Rot.
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Related Plants
Dianthus 'La Bourboule', Dianthus x allwoodii, Dianthus x allwoodii 'Aqua', Dianthus x allwoodii 'Doris', Dianthus x allwoodii 'Essex Witch', Dianthus barbatus, Dianthus barbatus 'Indian Carpet', Dianthus barbatus 'Newport Pink', Dianthus caryophyllus, Dianthus caryophyllus 'Golden Sun', Dianthus caryophyllus 'Hardy', Dianthus caryophyllus 'King of Blacks', Dianthus caryophyllus 'Triumph Rose', Dianthus caryophyllus 'Yellow Obreviture', Dianthus chinensis 'Ideal Crimson', Dianthus chinensis 'Magic Charms', Dianthus chinensis 'Telstar Mixed', Dianthus chinensis 'Telstar Picotee', Dianthus deltoides 'Brilliant', Dianthus deltoides 'Microchip Mixed', Dianthus deltoides 'Zing Rose', Dianthus gratianopolitanus 'Bath's Pink', Dianthus gratianopolitanus 'Karlic', Dianthus gratianopolitanus 'Spotty', Dianthus gratianopolitanus 'Tiny Rubies', Dianthus gratianopolitanus 'Tiny Rubies', Dianthus plumarius 'Cottage Pink', Dianthus plumarius 'Spring Beauty', Dianthus superbus
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