Growing Guide
 
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Maiden Pink

Herbaceous Perennial Flower, Ground Cover

Dianthus deltoides
Caryophyllaceae Family

An excellent groundcover, front-of-the-border edging, or rock garden specimen, these mat-forming plants produce countless dainty blooms with fringed petals in shades of red, pink or white in spring and early summer. Prefers well-drained alkaline soil and full sun.

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Site Characteristics
Sunlight:
  • full sun
  • part shade
Prefers full sun but tolerates very light shade.

Soil conditions:

  • tolerates droughty soil
  • requires well-drained soil
Prefers neutral to mildly alkaline pH.

Hardiness zones:

  • 3 to 9
May be only marginally hardy in Zone 3.

Special locations:

  • rock gardens
  • xeriscapes
Plant Traits

Lifecycle: perennial

Ease-of-care: moderately difficult

Height: 0.25 to 1 feet

Spread: 1 to 1.5 feet

Plants spread rapidly under favorable conditions.

Bloom time:

  • late spring
  • early summer

Flower color:

  • red
  • white
  • pink

Foliage color: dark green

Foliage texture: fine

Shape:

  • cushion, mound or clump
  • spreading mass

Shape in flower: flower stalks with flowers with petal radiating outward

Blooms borne on stems rising slightly above the foliage.

Special Considerations
Special characteristics:
  • aggressive - Spreads rapidly by self-seeding if not deadheaded before seed set.
  • non-invasive
  • not native to North America - Native to Europe and Asia.
  • evergreen
Growing Information
How to plant:

Propagate by seed, cuttings, division or separation - Divide in spring or fall every 2 to 3 years.

Self-seeds if not deadheaded. Seed germinates rapidly under warm, humid conditions.

Make cuttings of side shoots after flowering.

Maintenance and care:
Cut plants back by half after flowering. Allow seeds to develop and set before cutting if self-seeding is desired.

Leave evergreen foliage for fall and winter interest.

Protect from overly moist conditions, as these easily cause rot.

Divide in spring or fall every 2 or 3 years.

More growing information: How to Grow Perennials

Pests:
Slugs and snails
Sowbugs
Grasshoppers
Diseases:
Fungal rots (especially in overly moist and/or humid conditions)
Varieties
'Albus' grows 6 inches tall with pure white blooms.

'Brilliant' grows 6 inches tall with vivid red blooms.

'Fanal' grows 6 inches tall with bronze tinted leaves and deep red blooms.

'Flashing Light' ('Leuchtfunk') grows 4 inches tall with magenta pink blooms.

'Micro-chips' grows 8 inches tall with red striped white blooms.

'Red Maiden' grows 6 inches tall and has reddish-purple blooms.

�Vampire� has deep-red flowers and dark green leaves.

�Wisley Variety� has deep-red flowers and dark green leaves.

'Zing Rose' grows 8 inches tall with deep rosy red blooms.