Dianthus

These low growing herbaceous plants are used in the landscape primarily for their beautiful and slightly fragrant flowers. The bushy plants have leaves that are thick, stiff, and linear or lanceolate. Dianthus bear carnation-like flowers that have toothed petals. These colorful flowers occur in singles, semi-doubles and doubles. They are bicolored with the darker central portion on each flower surrounded by a lighter colored fringe. There are lavender, pink, purple, red, salmon, and white colored species of Dianthus. The abundant flowers can be borne singly or in inflorescences, but all occur terminally.