DIANTHUS

LIZA RONHOLDT

My favorite type of flowers are dianthus. The word dianthus means "divine flower", and comes from the Greek word meaning "flower of the gods".

 

FACT ABOUT DIANTHUS

Dianthus can come in many different shades of pinks, whites, and violets. They can be grown in pots or in gardens, and are often used as beautiful border flowers. Most dianthus are hardy and very easy to care for. There ae over 300 species of dianthus, and they can be annuals, biennials, or perennials.

Most dianthus can bloom all summer long. Many keep blooming up until the first frost. This comes in handy in gardens because they can fill in the spaces when the perennials are not blooming. Many dianthus are sun loving, and most species need at least 4-5 hours of full sun per day. these flowers can be anywhere from 4" to 18" tall, but most are between 6" to 10". The flowers are 1" to 2" diameter.

SOME COMMON SPECIES

Dianthus deltiodes 'maiden pinks'

Dianthus carophyllus 'carnations'

Dianthus barbatus 'sweet william'

Dianthus plumerius 'cottage pinks'

REFERENCES

http://www.thegardenhelper.com/dianthus

http://www.fernlea.com/annual/veriety

http://www.californiagardens.com/Plant_Pages/dianthus_spotti.htm