One of the best pinks

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5) Dianthus, Lychnis, Silene and other Caryophyllaceae

I grew a plant labeled Dianthus myrtinervius years ago which was just a redder (almost crimson) Dianthus deltoides. When I researched the name, it was obvious the original plant was quite different. In recent years the true D. myrtinervius is being sold by several mail order nurseries. I've grown it for years, but last spring I took this picture in the garden of Sally Boyson, editor of our local chapter's newsletter. This shows the plant growing much as it might in nature: truly delightful--like a Silene acaulis that is growable and actually blooms!

Comments

Lori S.'s picture

Lori S. (not verified)

Mon, 03/08/2010 - 10:09pm

Terrific plant, and what a great specimen shown there!
I really like this dianthus (ssp. caespitosus, shown below).. almost as much for the intricacy of the foliage (orderly little rosettes of stacked leaves) as for the flowers.  It's a good bloomer here too.  I hope one day my plant  looks as good as that one!

McGregorUS's picture

McGregorUS (not verified)

Tue, 03/09/2010 - 1:04am

What an exquisite Dianthus - the foliage is so very different from most of the genus and gives it an intriguing twist on the normal look. I've noted it down for next year's seed exchange so I hope you're going to collect seed.

McGregorUS's picture

McGregorUS (not verified)

Tue, 03/09/2010 - 2:24am

Don't have a picture of Silene acaulis from Norway but this one is taken on Pike's Peak in Colorado - Panayoti country!

Mark McDonough's picture

Mark McDonough

Tue, 03/09/2010 - 6:17am
Skulski wrote:

Terrific plant, and what a great specimen shown there!
I really like this dianthus (ssp. caespitosus, shown below).. almost as much for the intricacy of the foliage (orderly little rosettes of stacked leaves) as for the flowers.  It's a good bloomer here too.  I hope one day my plant  looks as good as that one!

Love these cushion Dianthus.  Lori, your D. myrtinervius ssp. caespitosus is fantastic... I second the accolades.  The foliage looks like a dwarf dasanthera penstemon, or an aethionema... cool plant.

Here's one I grew from seed labeled Dianthus microlepis v. musulae, NARGS Seed 1999, Pirin Mts, Bulgaria.  Photo 1 is from 2003, where it flowered better than in most years.  It is still here, but barely flowers, just sputtering forth a few near stemless flowers each year.  The mat has grown into a grapefruit-sized dome, some parts died back but it fills itself back in... 2nd photo taken today, March 9, 2010.

Todd Boland's picture

Todd Boland

Tue, 03/09/2010 - 11:35am

Gotta track that Dianthus down...only my D. erinaceus comes close in tightness but that one is a shy bloomer for me.

Trond Hoy's picture

Trond Hoy

Tue, 03/09/2010 - 1:17pm
McGregor wrote:

Don't have a picture of Silene acaulis from Norway but this one is taken on Pike's Peak in Colorado - Panayoti country!

The plants are (almost) the same, the habitat not!

I have to look for some of those cushion-forming Dianthuses. That's the problem with a forum like this: You get your attention to plants that you didn't know you would like to have in your garden!

Lori S.'s picture

Lori S. (not verified)

Tue, 03/09/2010 - 9:52pm
McGregor wrote:

I've noted it down for next year's seed exchange so I hope you're going to collect seed.

Yes, I'll certainly make a note to do that.

Another Dianthus microlepis... just a baby in this photo from last year, but blooming quite nicely:

Richard T. Rodich's picture

Richard T. Rodich

Tue, 03/09/2010 - 11:30pm

I have some Dianthus myrtinervius started from seed last season.  Germination wasn't that great, but I have a whole slew of D. simulans. I'm a lazy gardener for the most part, and my seeds sprout according to the whims of my climate on the north side of my house.  Consequently they mostly don't come up until May sometime. All of you guys and many in my Chapter have a big jump over my growing method. 

Lori S.'s picture

Lori S. (not verified)

Wed, 03/10/2010 - 6:38am

On that note, I had very good germination from D. pinifolius ssp. serbicus and D. petraeus ssp noeanus at room temperature, no conditioning.  Have a couple of other dianthus species in progress, as well.  Given that this a familiar genus name, I should be able to get rid of some of them at the upcoming local rock garden society plant sale this spring... (will be a tough job to get rid of the very unfamiliar genera!)