Dianthus Caryophyllus

Nothing says it better for any occasion than a bunch of red carnations. Those frilly petals are so lovely, and yes, it makes for gorgeous floral arrangements with their spicy fragrance. 

Yes, the pink carnation is the symbol for Mother’s Day, and in the olden days, people used it for treating fevers.

Still, during Elizabethian times people used Dianthus caryophyllus pink in ale and wine and even as a substitute for clove imagine.

So, looking at only some of these exciting facts, the Dianthus is a worthy investment as an indoor plant or in rock gardens.

Dianthus Flowers History

The Dianthus caryophyllus, known as clove pink, grenadine, and carnation, belongs to the Caryophyllaceae family.

The herbaceous plant is native to the Mediterranean and cultivated for its flowers with a clove smell used in the floral industry.

In the species, you find the carnations and the perpetual flowering carnation used for border greens or planted in containers in your home.

Yes, these flowers are also known as the flowers of gods, and the Greeks most likely used them as coronation flowers.

Still, the commercial carnation you see today has taken more than 200 years of breeding with a wide color range.

Another exciting thing is that new flowers you can quickly cultivate as they have cymose inflorescences to produce as a standard or sprays carnation.

For the standard carnation, they remove the lateral buds leaving the terminal flower. While with sprays, the terminal flower buds are removed, resulting in lateral bud development.

Dianthus Plant Care

The Dianthus plants you find bred in varieties with loosely tufted flowers and catch everyone’s attention and, yes, the nose as well.

You find these outdoor plants growing as a wild carnation and houseplants from cheddar pinks, garden pinks, red and more. So, get your hands dirty to start taking care of these cottage-style plants.

Species: Dianthus caryophyllus

Common Name: Carnation, clove pinks, border carnation

Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial

Native to: Mediterranean

Blooms: Gold/Yellow, Orange, Pink, Purple/Lavender, Red/Burgundy, Variegated, White

Maximum Size: One to four feet tall

Watering Requirements: Allow soil to dry between watering

Light Requirements: Full sun partial shade

Preferred Humidity: 70-75%

Preferred Temperature: Cool temperature

Soil or Potting Medium: Well-draining loamy soil

Fertilizer: Compost rich soil

Propagation Method: Seed and stem cuttings

Vulnerability: Fusarium wilt

Toxicity: Low-toxicity rate in the leaves

Now that you have seen the shortness and sweetness of caring for your Dianthus flowers, you can quickly grow them as a miniature potted or mini carnation houseplant. These new plant species range in height between six to eight inches.

Best Well Drained Soil for Dianthus Plants 

Okay, if you have an indoor carnation plant or plan to grow them outdoors, it needs slightly alkaline, well-draining soil.

For outdoor growing as young plants, make sure they have nutrient-rich soil. For example, you can grow your carnations in sandy soil with some peat moss or garden compost to make the ground lose.

You can add organic ingredients to help with drainage as your perennial Dianthus varieties are vulnerable to root rot even when grown as a houseplant. Adding mulch also helps suppress weeds.

When planted in garden beds, you can give them a boost using a granulated starting feed or a balanced all-purpose fertilizer like 12-12-12.

Ideal Lighting for Dianthus Carnation 

One thing that is so great about the Dianthus plants is that all of them prefer full sun for at least six hours a day.

Whether you grow your Dianthus bloom as an annual or perennial outside or inside, they need the sun to bloom.

You can provide your new plants with bright light and partial shade in the afternoon for indoor placement. Yet, while your carnations can tolerate partial shade, you will find they might have fewer flowers.

Watering Your Plant Dianthus 

Planting Dianthus flowers is a low-maintenance plant. New plants you need to water daily at first, and depending on the soil type and climate, you can adjust watering to every three days.

Suppose your gillyflower is growing in clay ground it will retain moisture longer and needs less watering. Also, provide water to your plant at the root area and not the entire plant.

Preferably, when you grow Dianthus, do not waterlog your plant and water when you feel the top two inches of the ground dry to prevent root rot.

Temperature Provision

Your Dianthus species can tolerate a light frost but not severe freezing compared to some other plants. If temperatures dip below 40°F, you can cover your outdoor plants using a frost blanket. You will also find that these plants go dormant in warm temperatures above 85°F.

Fertilizer Condition

Dianthus plants do not need much feeding and are light feeders. You can provide them with a liquid fertilizer every six weeks during the growing season as potted plants.

Grown outdoors, you can work in a shovelful of organic compost once a year to keep them nourished. Alternatively, you can also use a slow-release feed in spring.

Propagating Perennial Dianthus 

The good news is you can propagate your Dianthus spp from seeds, cuttings to division.

Grow Perennial Dianthus from Seeds 

To cultivate the seeds, you need well-draining loamy soil done up to eight weeks before the last frost in the region. Then, for indoor planting, sprinkle the seed over the top and cover it with a layer of potting soil.

Next, cover the pot with a plastic bag and keep it in a warm place while keeping the ground moist. Once you notice two to three leaves, you can move your plants into their container but only do this when they are about five inches high.

You can also sow the seed directly outdoors at a depth of 1/8 inch after the frost passes. As with your indoor plants, you need to keep the soil moist, and once they reach five inches high, you can thin them out, placing them 12 inches apart.

Perennial Dianthus From Cuttings 

1. Take a cutting from the mother plant that bloomed in June or July after flowering for an entire season. The cutting can be about three inches in length.
2. Take a small pot with some vermiculite combined with moist potting soil.
3. Dip the end of the cutting optional in a rooting hormone and plant in the ground with one node beneath the soil.
4. Place the cutting in a sunny location and keep the ground moist.
5. Once you spot new leaves growing that should take a month, you can transplant your carnation and care for it.

Division 

Yes, you can even revive your old carnations by dividing the segments to create multiple flowers. To do this, you need to dig up the clump and pull them apart using your hand.

Yes, get all dirty and replant them like you would your annual or perennial greenery. You can do this every three years to keep them healthy.

Dianthus Annual or Perennial USDA Growth Zone

The hardiness of growing your Dianthus caryophyllus white to pink flower depends on the varieties you have. You can grow them in zones five to nine in the home year-round.

When grown in the garden and doubtful that they will survive, you can always take some cuttings or seeds to grow them annually.

Pruning Clove Gilly Flower 

To help increase repeat blooming, keeping your carnation tidy and proper pruning helps. In addition, you can deadhead the spent flowers, especially on varieties that provide repeat blooms.

During the year, you can remove diseased or damaged leaves and stems. Then, when fall arrives, you can prune your plants back with about two inches of stem remaining above the ground outdoors.

By snipping off the dead flower, it helps prevent seed formation. It also helps encourage additional blooming.

Dianthus Varieties and Similar Plants

You are spoilt with choice if you want any Dianthus as the species offered is enormous. Yes, it is not your typical granny flower anymore.

Dianthus gratianopolitanus

The cheddar pinks is a charming evergreen perennial Dianthus that produces fragrant flowers rose to pink. You can add a splash of color with the cheddar pinks cut flowers in your home.

Dianthus deltoides

The maiden pink forms a spreading mat of green leaves, and from spring to summer, you get a display of red, white, or pink blooms and easy to grow.

Dianthus chinensis 

China pink is an annually planted flower as they do not love hot, humid weather. The flowers look flat and heavily fringed with a dark central eye. It is best if you deadheaded the Chinese pinks to encourage flowering.

Dianthus barbatus 

The sweet William is another flower best grown as an annual instead of a perennial. It thrives in full sun to partial shade and produces rounded yet dense flowers. The colors can be intense red, white, bicolor, to purple.

Dianthus Plant Diseases & Pests

The carnation’s history is rich, and it is an old cultivated flower. Still, it can also become vulnerable to pests and diseases.

Fusarium Wilt 

The disease happens when the pathogen Fusarium enters your carnation, causing them to wilt their shoots slowly. Next, you notice leaf discoloration as the green turns pale yellow.

The stems split as the disease spreads, displaying brown streaking in the vascular tissue and root stem rot.

The disease results from exposition to high temperatures for a long time, and the best is to remove any diseased foliage.

Rust and Powdery Mildew 

Your carnation can also get rust caused by poor ventilation. You can remove the infected leaves with a brownish mark and treat your greenery with a copper oxychloride.

Another concern is powdery mildew forming on the leaves from high humid conditions. Destroy your infected foliage and treat them with benomyl fungicide with enough ventilation.

Pests 

Yes, your beautiful flowers can become the haven for aphids, spider mites, to flies. To prevent this from happening, you can control it with a spray of water and plant them with companion foliage like garlic. Or you can spray your carnations with garlic tea.