Rank Species | Higher classification Pink | |
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Similar Pink, Caryophyllaceae, Dianthus carthusianorum, Dianthus deltoides, Sand pink | ||
Dianthus armeria (Deptford Pink or Grass Pink) is a species of Dianthus ("pink") native to most of Europe, from Portugal north to southern Scotland and southern Finland, and east to Ukraine and the Caucasus. It is also found in North America.
It is a herbaceous annual or biennial plant growing to 60 cm tall. The leaves are hairy, dark green, slender, up to 5 cm long. The flowers are 8–15 mm diameter, with five petals, bright reddish-pink; they are produced in small clusters at the top of the stems from early to late summer.
It will grow in the worst, leached out soils (up to 12" tall), although it will grow taller in good soil with adequate water. D. Armeria is not native to the USA, but it does well in the wild without being dominant, in the temperate areas. The blooms close up in the afternoon.
Cultivation and uses
It is widely grown as an ornamental plant in gardens. Populations have been introduced to and have become naturalised in New Zealand and much of North America. Deptford Pink is also sometimes called mountain pink, but this may refer to several different species.
