Culture
Easily grown in average, evenly moist, well-drained soils in full sun. Plants require lots of sun for good flowers, but prefer cool summer temperatures. Plants generally perform best in organically rich, gritty loams in neutral to slightly alkaline soils. Good drainage is essential, but incorporating leaf mold and other organic material into the soil helps retain some moisture which is often needed in hot summer climates. Deadhead spent flowers to encourage additional bloom. Consider shearing plants back after main flush of bloom in order to tidy the planting and to promote additional bloom in late summer or early fall.
'Coconut Punch' reportedly has good resistance to center die-out.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Perennial dianthus, commonly called carnations or pinks, are loosely-tufted, herbaceous perennials that features fragrant, often double flowers on stiff stems clad with narrow, linear, gray-green leaves. Most hybrid carnations are crosses between three species: D. caryophyllus, D. gratianopolitanus, and D. plumarius. There are thousands of carnation cultivars and hybrids which have been developed over time for use in both outdoor gardens or under glass for the cut flower industry. Extensive breeding has produced cultivars in almost every shade of pink, purple, red, orange, yellow, and white, and ranging in size from 6” tall up to long-stemmed plants rising to as much as 4’ tall.
Large-flowered carnations today are divided for organizational purposes into two different groupings: (1) border carnations (fragrant double flowers on stems rising to 16” tall) for use in outdoor gardens and (2) florist’s carnations (fragrant double flowers on stems rising to 3-4’ tall) primarily grown in greenhouses for supplying the florist trade.
Genus name comes from the Greek words dios meaning divine and anthos meaning flower.
The common name of pink for plants in the genus Dianthus is in probable reference to the fringed flower petal margins (they appear to have been cut with pinking shears) and not to flower color.
'Coconut Punch' is a hybrid dianthus that typically grows in a rounded mound to 10-12" tall and as wide. It is noted for its compact growth, fragrant double blooms, abundant flowering and extended bloom period. Fragrant double flowers (1.5" to 2" diameter) are deep wine-red with white blotches. As the flowers mature, the white color expands to fill the petal centers with wine-red margins circling each petal. Flowers bloom from late spring to early summer with continued but somewhat sporadic additional bloom to fall. Narrow, linear, gray-green leaves typically form a dense mound of grass-like foliage. Leaves are evergreen in warm winter climates. The common name of pink for plants in the genus Dianthus is in probable reference to the flower petal margins (they appear to have been cut with pinking shears) and not to flower color. U.S. Plant Patent PP21,876 was issued on April 19, 2011.
Problems
Dianthus is generally susceptible to crown rot, particularly if grown in wet, poorly drained soils. Leaf spot may occur in humid summers, particularly where plants are crowded.
Uses
Rock gardens, border fronts, edgings, fragrance gardens and containers. When massed, these mat-forming plants can form an attractive ground cover.