How to Grow Dianthus (Pinks): Fragrant Garden Favorites

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neotemlpars/Shutterstock
Botanical Name
Dianthus spp.
Plant Type
Sun Exposure
Soil pH
Bloom Time
Flower Color
Hardiness Zone
Special Features
Subhead

Charming, Clove-Scented Blooms That Brighten Beds and Borders

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Want a flower that checks all the boxes: beautiful, fragrant, pollinator-friendly, and easy to grow? Meet Dianthus! Also known as “pinks,” these lovely bloomers bring spicy clove-like fragrance and vibrant color to any sunny garden. From compact mounding varieties to tall cutting flowers like carnations, dianthuses are surprisingly hardy and long-blooming. Whether in containers or borders, they’ll reward you with cheerful flowers all season—just remember to deadhead!

About Dianthus Flowers

Ancient Greek botanist Theophrastus (c.371–c.287 B.C.) gave the Dianthus genus its name: “divine flower” (dios + anthos). Ever since, gardeners have been smitten with these plants’ charms: a sweet and spicy fragrance and lovely fringed blossoms in many colors (lavender, red, white, yellow, bicolor, and intense pink). 

Dianthus plants have been cultivated for thousands of years. They were popular in ancient Greece, where they were considered a divine flower and dedicated to Zeus. The name dianthus comes from the Greek word dios for “god” and anthos for “flower.” They were very popular in Tudor and Edwardian times when they were called by picturesque names like gillyflower, pheasant’s ear, and sops-in-wine. Some antique varieties, like ‘Fenbow’s Clove Pink’, can be traced back to the 14th century. Colonists brought their favorite dianthuses with them to the New World along with their other cherished possessions, and mention of gillyflowers is noted in America as early as 1676.

Dianthus flowers are popular for many reasons. Besides being hardy and adaptable, they are also long-blooming and will flower prolifically through the summer season if you deadhead the faded flowers. And their fragrance is lovely—similar to cloves. The flowers also attract butterflies, hummingbirds, and other pollinators to the garden.  And they’re deer-resistant! 

The common name “pinks” is not because of their most common color (an intense pink) but for the unique fringed or jagged edges of their five-petal blooms that look as if they’ve been cut with pinking shears. 

Even when they are not in bloom, dianthuses are attractive plants. Most form neat mounds, and many have fine, blue-green foliage, making them perfect front-of-the-border plants.

Is Dianthus a Perennial or Annual?

Dianthuses can be annual, biennial, or perennial. The Dianthus genus covers over 300 species; as a gardeners’ favorite, they have been extensively bred and hybridized. Most varieties are 10 to 20 inches tall, but dianthus varieties range from annual creeping groundcovers to 24-inch (or longer) long-stemmed perennials (such as carnations) suitable for cutting. This genus also includes Sweet Williams (D. barbatus), which are biennial or short-lived perennials.  Depending on the variety, dianthuses bring cheer to sunny garden borders, rock gardens, or containers; they especially look great as bedding plants when massed together.

Planting

Dianthuses demand full sun (they fail to thrive in shade) and well-draining soil (standing water will rot the roots). Improve the soil drainage if necessary (e.g., mix in compost with heavy soil).

When to Plant Dianthus 

  • Direct-seed outdoors in early spring when a light frost is still possible. If transplanting a small nursery plant, plant during the cooler months in spring or fall to encourage deep rooting.
  • If sowing seeds indoors, start them 10 to 12 weeks before the last spring frost.

How to Plant Dianthus 

  • When direct-seeding outdoors, only cover lightly with soil; seeds need light to germinate.
  • If transplanting, space plants 6 to 12 inches apart (depending on variety) for good air circulation. Set so the crown is level with soil surface and water lightly.
  • If sowing seeds indoors, press them lightly into moist potting medium; cover lightly and keep moist. Apply bottom heat. When seedlings break through the soil, place seed trays in a sun-drenched window. Annuals germinate in about 10 days, perennials in 3 weeks. Harden off and transplant seedlings when they have four sets of leaves and there is no danger of frost.
Dianthus in bloom, intense pink color
Photo: Michael Sean O’Leary/Shutterstock

Growing

  • Avoid mulch, especially close to the stem; good air circulation is needed to avoid crown rot.

  • Water only when soil is dry and be careful not to overwater. 

  • Fertilize a few times during the growing season with a balanced fertilizer (equal amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) or a phosphate-rich tomato fertilizer.
  • Deadhead faded flowers, removing the stems, too, for more blooms.
  • Shear plants back after flowering in late summer to encourage a second set of flowers later in the season.
  • Many varieties self-seed if blossoms are not removed.
  • At season’s end, leave evergreen foliage for fall and winter interest or cut stems back to 1 to 2 inches above the soil surface.
  • Divide established plants every 2 to 3 years in early spring or after flowering. 

Harvesting

Dianthus make excellent cut flowers. Many varieties have a spicy fragrance in addition to a long vase life of 7 to 21 days. Cut flowers for arrangements when the are just opening. Cut the bottom of the stems at a slant, just above a node on the stem. Remove leaves that are submerged in the water.  Replace the water every 3 days.  Re-cut the stems after 1 week. 

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Pests/Diseases

Dianthus is deer-resistant.
Diseases: aster yellows, Botrytis blight, leaf spot, root and stem rots, rust, wilt
Pestsaphids, grasshoppers, slugs and snails, sow bugs 

Wit and Wisdom

  • In Tudor and Edwardian times dianthus had several names: gillyflower, pheasant’s ear, and sops-in-wine. It is also known as cottage pink and clove pink.
  • Dianthus flower petals are edible; remove and discard the bitter petal base before using.
  • “Hot July brings cooling showers, apricots and gillyflowers.” 
    –Sara Coleridge, British writer (1802–52) 

Cooking Notes

Dianthus flowers are edible; the petals are sometimes candied and used as edible decoration. Discard the bitter petal base before using and avoid ingesting the foliage and stems, as they can cause indigestion.

About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann loves nature, stargazing, and gardening so it’s not surprising that she and The Old Farmer’s Almanac found each other. She leads digital content for the Almanac website, and is also a certified master gardener in the state of Indiana. Read More from Catherine Boeckmann
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