Clove-like scent that bees love; tips on gardening
Telegraph | 29 March 2025
It’s the flower with the frilly edges and clove-like fragrance, but touch its leaves and you may just get mild irritation.
The Dianthus is fragrant, pink-lilac, pink-purple or white, often with picotee (a flower with a different colour around the edge than the flower’s base colour) margins. They are grown as annuals, biennials and evergreen perennials whose flower has five petals that are flattened and may be found as densely clustered flower heads, open cymes, and rarely as a solitary flower and often a staple in flower gardens.
Dianthus plants are also known as Carnations, Sweet William and Pinks. The common name of Pinks does not refer to the colour, but to the fringed or frilly edging which looks like it was trimmed with “pinking shears”, which are scissors used in sewing.
Usually self-sterile, this plant needs pollen from another plant for fertilisation. The petals of the Dianthus flowers are edible when grown organically, and often crystallised with sugar and used for decorating cakes. They have narrow leaves that are 2-3” long, often dull grey-green or blue-green, pinnate (typically in pairs opposite each other) venation often found as parallel pairs on nodes at right angles to each other on the stem.
The leaves can cause mild gastrointestinal distress if eaten and mild dermatitis if touched. In the wild, this plant is resistant to damage by deer but will be eaten by rabbits. Dianthus are native to Europe, Asia, and Africa. The Dianthus genus includes over 27,000 registered cultivar names.
Some of the most common types of dianthus varieties are- Dianthus Deltoides Arctic Fire, Dianthus GratianoHpolitanus Firewitch, Dianthus First Love, and Dianthus Plumeria Rose de Mai.
Soil- Dianthus grows best in rich, neutral soil on the alkaline side (pH range of 5.8 to 6.2). While the plants perform well in such soil, most Dianthuses are able to adapt to a wide range of soil conditions, including those with high amounts of clay or sand.
Light- Dianthus should be planted in full sun but it can tolerate some shade. Light is important for thriving plants. Choose a location that gets at least six hours of sun each day. Plants that don’t get enough light experience vegetative growth and reduction in blooms or flower vibrancy.
Water- Dianthus flowers need good watering but hold watering if the soil is wet, and avoid water-logging the soil.
Temperature and humidity- Dianthus thrives in temperatures from 5 degrees Celsius to 30 degrees Celsius. The flowers can also go dormant in consistently hot summer temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius.
Fertiliser- Dianthus plants are light feeders and don’t need much traditional fertiliser. A fistful of compost worked into the soil once a year nourishes the plants adequately.
Dianthus care- Dianthus is relatively easy to maintain under its ideal sunlight, soil and water conditions. Once they’re established, perennial varieties are known to thrive with only minimal maintenance. Well-drained soil and good air circulation are necessary to avoid root rot and fungal diseases. Like most flowers, Dianthus appreciates routine weeding, deadheading, and pruning. This will help to keep the plants looking their best.