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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.

	Site and Plant Characteristics
	Growing Information
	Varieties

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.