| PRONUNCIATION |
dye-ANN-thuss SEE-zee-uss |
| COMMON NAME |
Cheddar Pink |
| NAMED FOR |
their original home at Cheddar Gorge, southwest England |
| DERIVATION |
caesius = bluish-gray, light gray, lavender |
| SOMETIMES CALLED |
Dianthus gratianopolitanus |
| PRONUNCIATION |
grah-tee-ah-noe-poe-lih-TAY-nuss |
| DERIVATION |
gratianopolitanus = of Grenoble, France |
| FAMILY |
Caryophyllaceae - Pink Family |
| TYPE |
wide-spreading, carpeting, evergreen rockery perennial |
| USES |
ground cover or walkway edger, on walls, in borders;
use clove-scented flowers fresh or dried for potpourri;
long-lasting as a cut flower |
| FLOWER |
tiny, double, flat, showy, 2 to 3 on each slender stem; spicy-scented |
| COLOUR |
rich rose-pink |
| FOLIAGE |
compact grassy mounds of pointed, narrow leaves, forming a dense mat |
| COLOUR |
gray-green, glaucous |
| HARDINESS |
Zone 3 |
| EXPOSURE |
full sun |
| SOIL |
well-drained, sandy to loamy, light and chalky;
keep soil pH slightly alkaline with annual application of wood ashes |
| SOIL AMENDMENTS |
encourage good drainage by working in organic matter like mature compost |
| WATER |
sparingly |
| HEIGHT |
4" |
| SPREAD |
10" to 24" |
| BLOOM |
early to mid-summer; May to July |
| STAKING |
no |
| DEADHEAD |
yes, often;
there are so many blooms on this cultivar that cutting them off individually is too time-consuming;
use shears to do this chore much faster |
| PROBLEMS |
wet soil, especially in winter, will prove fatal |
| AFTERCARE |
remove faded flowers to prolong bloom;
plants may be sheared back after the main flush to encourage continued bloom;
trim back in spring to remove any winter-damaged sections |
| FALL CARE |
do not cut back in fall;
the only cutting back should be done immediately after bloom |
| PROPAGATION |
cuttings: take 1" to 4" long cuttings in summer from non-flowering tips, just below a leaf node;
remove lower leaves and root in 50-50 mix of perlite or vermiculite and coarse sand;
keep barely moist;
cuttings could also be grown in a cold frame in summer;
division: dig clump in spring, cut apart with a clean, sharp knife, replanting only the healthiest outer portions;
plant may die out in center and need dividing every 2 to 3 years to stay vigourous |
| SEED CULTURE |
sow seeds indoors in spring, 8 to 10 weeks before last spring frost date, barely covering seeds;
seeds can be sown outdoors after the last frost date |
| FERTILIZER |
in spring with high phosphorus fertilizer;
sprinkle bonemeal around plant |
| MULCH |
mulching with organic mulches would rot the crowns;
so if you must mulch, use stone chips, especially limestone |
| CULTIVARS |
'Bath's Pink': fringed, soft pink
'Blue Hills': single, rose-pink
'Dottie': single, fringed white with a crimson eye
'Flore-Pleno': double pink
'La Bourbille': 3" single clear pink, good for rockeries
'Little Boy Blue': in spite of the name, this flower is single and white with a pink eye
'Little Jock': semi-double 6" pink with a red eye
'Petite': 3" dwarf with masses of bright pink flowers
'Splendens': compact with red flowers
'Spotty': 6-8" with an unusual cerise-red flower with white spots
'Warbonnet': 10" double, deep red flowers |
| IMAGES BELOW |
Click on a plant name to find its PERFECT PLANT PARTNERS and learn more about its size, habits and preferences.
Dianthus gratianopolitanus 'Cheddar Pink'
Dianthus arenarius - Sand Pinks - white
Dianthus caesius 'Tiny Rubies'
Dianthus plumarius 'Ballad Blend'
Dianthus deltoides 'Zing'
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| COMPANION PLANTS |
PLANT PARTNERSHIPS FOR DIANTHUS 'TINY RUBIES'
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DAYLILIES