Gardening with Dianthus chinensis
China Pink Dianthus
Dianthus chinensis is the China pink Dianthus that is sold as an annual bedding plant in the garden centers each spring. It is actually perennial, only unrealiably so, in zones 4-11.
Tips for container gardening with annual pinks.
China pinks bedded out in the annual garden at Harry P. Leu Gardens in Orlando, Fl.
China pink Dianthus grows to about a foot tall. It features blue-green foliage and brightly colored red or pink Dianthus flowers.
The blooms are single and consist of 5 petals. The edge of each petal is toothed.
Pinks Flowers
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Growing Dianthus
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Set the plants 9 inches apart in well drained soil in full sun. They will begin to bloom in early spring and continue through the season if you keep them deadheaded.
Water them regularly during the heat of summer and feed them in spring, summer and fall.
They will spread but they are not invasive. Periodically dig and divide the clumps to remove the woody centers.
Annual Dianthus is the perfect plant for small space gardening. Here, it shares its tiny plot with pansies, the silver-leaved dusty miller and other annual plants.
China Pink Container Garden Pictures
Annual China pinks are fabulous container gardening plants. They are small and can share a large pot with several other plants. In this photo, D. chinensis shares a color bowl with a zonal geranium.
Pinks don't mind growing under crowded conditions and bloom profusely so just 1 or 2 plants will make a big impact.
In this pot, the China pinks are bunking in with the honey-scented Lobularia maritima.
Dianthus chinensis flowers sometimes exude a light spicy scent so this may be a sweet pairing indeed.
Container Garden Tips:
- The more crowded the pot, the more water the plants will need. Use Miracle-Gro Moisture Control Potting Mix or mix some unscented cat litter into the soil prior to setting the plants in.
- To make your container look full sooner, double the number of plants. A 10 inch bowl will normally accommodate 3 annuals. Planting 6 will make it "come together" more quickly. Pull the extra plants out later in the season when they begin to crowd each other out and use them to fill gaps in your garden beds.
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How Do You Prune Dianthus ?
Shear it back to 4 inches after the blooms fade and it will rebloom.
Different Dianthus Species:
Dianthus deltoides: 'Zing Rose' & Other Maiden Pinks
Dianthus caryophyllus: the Florist Carnation
Dianthus barbatus: Sweet William Flowers
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