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.
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.
'Brilliant Star' is part of the Star Series. It was developed in England as a new group of hybrid dianthus cultivars derived from alpine dianthus. Star Series plants are clump-forming plants that are noted for compact growth, fragrant blooms, abundant flowering and lengthy bloom period. Narrow, lance-shaped, glaucous dark green leaves typically form a dense mounded cushion (to 5” tall). ‘Brilliant Star’ features pure white, fragrant (clove-scented), double flowers with dark magenta eye zones. Flowers bloom singly atop stems rising slightly above the foliage mound. Lengthy bloom period of spring to late summer and possibly to frost. U.S. Plant Patent #13,025 issued October 1, 2002.
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.