Dianthus caryophyllus
Clove pink, Wild carnation, Border carnation, Gilly flower
- Height × spread
- 0.45m × 0.3m
- Position
- Full sun
- Hardiness
- Average winter to - 10C (RHS H4)
- Flowers
- Summer
Availability
Please ask in store about availability
Many plants are seasonal. Call 01234 567890 to check current stock.
About this plant
This is the ancestor of carnations with a scent that is reminiscent of the spice clove. It produces magenta blooms and pleasing, spiky, blue-grey foliage. It reaches around 60cm (2ft) height. By the eighteenth century, carnations had evolved to include a whole range of different coloured varieties that received various picturesque names. For example, Flakes identified carnations that had little colour spots on their petals but only one per petal, whereas Bizarres had to have two colour flecks on each petal, and these had to be of different, contrasting colours. Just think of all those committee meetings!
- Flower colour
- Red
- Foliage colour
- Blue, Grey
- Variegated
- No
- Scent
- No
- Shape
- Fan
- Height
- 0.45m
- Spread
- 0.3m
- Season of interest
- Summer
- Flowers in
- Summer
- Evergreen
- Evergreen
- Garden style
- Seaside garden, Rock garden
- Sun or shade
- Likes full sun
- Soil type
- Chalk, Loam (normal), Poor soil
- Soil pH
- Alkaline, Neutral
- Drainage
- Well drained soil, Dry soil, Drought resistant
- Hardiness
- Average winter to - 10C (RHS H4)
- Borders & containers
- Borders and containers
- Use for
- Bedding plant, Bee attraction, Butterfly attraction
- Hazards
- Yes, potentially harmful; Humans: Skin allergen
Spring
Spring-Autumn · Outdoors
Water in dry periods
Established plants in the ground can cope with 7-10 days of dryness, and shrubs often manage 2 to 3 weeks. Water one section of the garden thoroughly each day rather than a little everywhere. Check plants in pots more often, especially in hot weather.
Summer
Summer - early · Outdoors
Feed a general fertiliser
Where plants have moderate needs for nutrients, they can simply be given a general feed, fairly early in the growth season so that the growth has plenty of time to harden off before the cold weather.
Give plants a general boost with the application of a general purpose fertiliser which is spread around the root area of the plant, with amounts as directed on the feed label.
Planting & general
Planting
Deadhead blooms during flowering season
Remove flowers as they turn brown and fade. Snip the stem just below the bloom. This will keep the plant tidy and encourage more flowers.
The removal of spent flowers encourages the plant to produce fresh ones, rather than spend its energy on the development of seeds.
Compost · Planting
Multi-purpose compost
Use a good quality peat-free multi-purpose compost when growing in pots and containers.
Found in
More Dianthus
Dianthus
Carnation, Pink, Clove, Flower of the Gods, Garden pinks, Hardy pinks
Dianthus 'Corona Raspberry Magic'
Pink, Clove
Dianthus 'Devon Arctic Star'
Pink, Clove
Dianthus 'Devon Flavia'
Carnation
Dianthus 'Devon Winnie'
Pink, Clove
Dianthus 'Devon Yolande'
Carnation
Dianthus 'Kahori Pink'
Carnation
Dianthus 'Kahori'
Carnation, Pink, Clove