General Culture:
Easily grown in average, medium, well-drained soils in full sun. Prefers fertile, slightly alkaline, somewhat gritty loams with good drainage. Prompt removal of spent flowers may prolong bloom period, but can be quite labor intensive. For larger plantings, it is perhaps more practical to simply shear off spent flowers after bloom. ‘Crimsonia’ can be grown from seed.
Noteworthy Characteristics:
Dianthus superbus is a robust European/Asian species that typically grows to 30” tall with decumbent stems below and branched upright stems above. Fringed, pink to purple-pink, 5-petaled, solitary or paired flowers (to 2.5” across) appear at the stem ends in summer. Flowers are scented. Medium green basal leaves are linear-lanceolate (to 3” long). ‘Crimsonia’ features fragrant, crimson red flowers on compact plants growing to only 20” tall. Many of the plants in the genus Dianthus are commonly called pinks in reference to fringed flower petals that look as if they had been cut with pinking shears.
Problems:
No serious insect or disease problems. Crown rot may attack plants grown in moist to wet, poorly drained soils.
Uses:
Rock gardens, border fronts, cotttage gardens or containers.
© Missouri Botanical
Garden, 2001-2010
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