Dianthus
Dianthus chinensis and hybrids
Dianthus is a compact winter annual with grey-green leaves and fringed flowers in pink, red, white and bicolours, often lightly clove-scented. It is a favourite for winter pots and borders in the plains.
Photo: Jjw · CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Essential Care Requirements
Light
Full sun
Watering
Moderate
Water when the top of the soil is dry; avoid wet crowns.
Soil
Well-drained, slightly alkaline soil; pH 6.5–7.5.
Temperature and humidity
0–28 °C · Low humidity
Feeding
Feed every three weeks with a balanced fertilizer.
Pruning and propagation
Propagate by seed, stem cuttings
Deadhead regularly to keep flowers coming.
Dianthus can cause mild stomach upset and skin irritation in cats and dogs.
Top Cultivation Tips
Sow in September–October.
Plant in groups for impact.
Do not mulch against the stems.
Carnations are a taller relative.
Common problems
Aphids
Small, soft-bodied insects that cluster on new shoots and buds, sucking sap and leaving sticky honeydew behind.
How to treat it →DiseaseRoot rot
Roots decay in waterlogged soil, so the plant wilts and yellows even though the soil is wet.
How to treat it →DiseaseRust
A fungal disease that forms orange, brown or yellow powdery pustules, mainly on leaf undersides.
How to treat it →
