Dianthus deltoides'Flashing Light'
Garden Plant Information

Dianthus deltoides 'Flashing Light'

 

Genus  

Dianthus (also called Maiden pink)

Species

deltoides

Cultivar/variety

'Flashing Light' (also 'Leuchtfunk')

General description

Evergreen, mat-forming perennial grown for small but brilliant cerise blooms. The photo doesn't really do the colour justice - this is a stunning plant. Suitable for ground cover, bed edges, borders, gravel and rock gardens.

Season of interest

Dark green foliage all year round, flowers in summer.

Key horticultural features

  1. Habit - low-growing, mat-forming. H: 10-15cm S: 20cm

  2. Leaves - dark green, simple, oblong, narrow.

  3. Flowers - single, up to 1.5cm across, borne singly, upward facing, 5 brilliant cerise petals with slightly darker outer edges, petals are serrated (or 'pinked') at the end.

Cultural details

Aspect

Does best in full sun.

Soil

Prefers a gritty, well-drained, soil which has been enriched with compost or manure. Neutral to alkaline soil, dislikes acid soil.

Hardiness

Fully hardy.

Maintenance

Trim after flowering. Plants grown in more acid soil should have lime added. Apply a balanced fertiliser in spring.

Propagation

By softwood cuttings of non-flowering shoots in summer, or by layering after flowering has finished.