Sweet William Dianthus 'Spinfield Joy' (b)

👤 Non-toxic to humans

🐾 Non-toxic to pets

🌸 Blooming

🍪 Not edible

‍🌱 Easy-care

ABOUT

Dianthus 'Spinfield Joy' is a charming plant with a vibrant display of color and texture. The most striking feature is its flowers, which are typically a vivid pink bearing a pattern of concentric circles that add depth and allure to each blossom. Each petal has gently fringed edges, which contribute to the fluffy, eye-catching appearance of the blooms. These flowers are held aloft on slender, sturdy stems that seem to bring the blooms closer, inviting admiration and interaction. The foliage of the plant provides a lovely contrast to the bright flowers. The leaves are slender and elongated, presenting a blue-green hue that complements the pink flowers. They form a dense mat of foliage that serves as a lush backdrop for the colorful blossoms. The texture of the leaves is slightly grass-like, and they give off a pleasing fragrance when touched or brushed against, adding a sensory dimension to the plant. Dianthus 'Spinfield Joy', with its compact and neat growth habit, forms a mounded shape that is rich in both color and texture. The overall impression is one of cheerfulness and vibrant beauty, making it a prized addition to any garden space where visual impact and delightful scents are desired.

Plant Info

Care

Common Problems

About this plant

Names
- Family
  Caryophyllaceae.
- Common names
  Dianthus 'Spinfield Joy'
Toxicity
- To humans
  The plant commonly known as Pinks is not known to be toxic to humans. In general, there are no significant toxic effects reported due to ingestion of Pinks. However, individual sensitivities can vary, so it's always recommended to avoid eating ornamental plants and exercise caution around children who might accidentally ingest plant parts.
- To pets
  Pinks are not known to be toxic to pets. This means that the Dianthus 'Spinfield Joy' is generally considered safe for dogs, cats, and other household pets. There should be no toxic effects if a pet ingests parts of Pinks. Nevertheless, monitoring pets is advised since individual reactions can occur, and consuming non-food plants may cause mild gastrointestinal upset due to the novelty of the material being ingested.
Characteristics
- Life cycle
  Perennials
- Foliage type
  Evergreen
- Color of leaves
  Blue-green
- Flower color
  Pink
- Height
  1 foot (30 cm)
- Spread
  1 foot (30 cm)
- Plant type
  Herb
- Hardiness zones
  Varies
- Native area
  Europe

Benefits

General Benefits
- Attractive Flowers: The Dianthus 'Spinfield Joy' produces vibrant blooms that add a splash of color to gardens and landscapes.
- Long Blooming Period: It often has an extended flowering season, providing visual interest for longer periods.
- Easy to Grow: This plant is known for being easy to care for, making it suitable for gardeners of all levels of experience.
- Drought Tolerant: Once established, it can tolerate periods of dryness, making it a good choice for water-wise gardens.
- Deer Resistant: The foliage and flowers are less palatable to deer, reducing the likelihood of damage from grazing.
- Fragrance: Dianthus flowers are typically fragrant, which can add a pleasant scent to the garden or indoor bouquets.
- Compact Growth: Its growth habit is compact, which makes it suitable for borders, rock gardens, and small spaces.
- Attracts Pollinators: The flowers attract bees and butterflies, which are important for pollination in the garden ecosystem.
- Low Maintenance: Dianthus 'Spinfield Joy' requires minimal care once established, with only occasional deadheading and watering.
- Versatility: The plant can be used in various garden designs, including container planting, rockeries, and as edging plants.
Medical Properties
This plant is not used for medical purposes.
Air-purifying Qualities
This plant is not specifically known for air purifying qualities.
Other Uses
- Eco Printing: The flowers of the pink can be used for eco printing, a technique where plants are used to naturally print patterns on fabrics, leaving unique and organic designs.
- Bookmark Embellishment: The petals of the pink can be pressed and used to decorate homemade paper bookmarks, adding a floral touch to the design.
- Color Inspiration: The vibrant colors of pink blossoms can provide inspiration for artists and designers in creating color palettes for various projects.
- Photography Subject: Pinks can be an enchanting subject for macro photography due to their intricate patterns and bright colors, which can highlight the beauty of small details in nature.
- Floral Confetti: Dried petals of the pink can be used as a natural and biodegradable confetti for weddings or other celebrations.
- Candle Embeds: Dried pink petals can be carefully placed into candles during the making process to create beautiful, illustrative designs once the candles harden.
- Scented Sachets: Pinks, having a pleasant fragrance, can be dried and placed in small sachets to naturally scent drawers and wardrobes.
- Culinary Decoration: Edible varieties of pink flowers can be used as a garnish for salads and desserts, adding both a splash of color and a mild spicy flavor.
- Botanical Art: Pressed pinks can be used in botanical art compositions, preserving the beauty of the flower in artistic, framed displays.
- Nature Crafts: The leaves and petals of the pink can be incorporated into nature crafts, such as making a natural wreath or floral mobiles for home decoration.

Interesting Facts

Feng Shui
The plant Carnation is not used in Feng Shui practice.
Zodiac Sign Compitability
The plant Carnation is not used in astrology practice.
Plant Symbolism
- Love: Dianthus is often associated with love due to its romantic appearance and fragrance. The name Dianthus comes from the Greek words 'dios' (divine) and 'anthos' (flower), often translated to 'divine flower', which signifies deep emotional connection.
- Passion: The bright colors and sweet scent of Dianthus evoke feelings of passion, making the flowers a popular choice for expressing fervent affection.
- Admiration: Gifting Dianthus can symbolize admiration for someone's talents or enduring qualities, and is often used to convey respect.
- Purity: The flower's pure, radiant hues are also indicative of purity, hence it could be used in occasions that require a symbol of cleanliness or innocence, such as christenings.
- Boldness: Certain varieties of Dianthus have a very distinct, spicy fragrance and vivacious colors that embody boldness and audacity.

💧

Every 1-2 weeks

Water

☀️

10000 - 20000 Lux

Light

💦️

50%

Humidity

🪴

Every 2-3 years

Repotting

🌱️

Spring-Early Summer

Propogation

✂️️

As needed

Pruning

Water
Pink, also known by its common name Carnation 'Spinfield Joy', requires consistent moisture but does not do well with saturated or soggy soil. It should be watered deeply once a week, providing about one to two inches of water each time. During the hot summer months or in dry weather conditions, the watering frequency may need to increase to twice a week. However, always check the top inch of soil for dryness before watering. Overwatering can lead to root rot, so it is crucial to ensure good drainage and not to let the plant sit in water.
Light
Carnations, including 'Spinfield Joy', thrive in full sun where they receive at least six hours of direct sunlight daily. The ideal spot for this plant is in a garden bed or container that is exposed to the morning sun with some afternoon shade, especially in hotter climates, to prevent scorching the foliage and flowers.
Temperature
Carnations like 'Spinfield Joy' prefer moderate temperatures, thriving best in a range between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. They can tolerate cooler temperatures down to about 40 degrees Fahrenheit, but frost or freeze can damage the plant. They may also survive in higher temperatures as long as they are not prolonged and the plant is well-watered, but prolonged heat above 80 degrees Fahrenheit can impact the plant's health.
Pruning
Pruning Carnations like 'Spinfield Joy' is essential for maintaining a bushy and vigorous plant. It is best to prune or deadhead spent blooms regularly throughout the flowering season to encourage more buds to form. Towards the end of the blooming season, usually in late summer or fall, you can cut back the stems to about one-third their height to help the plant conserve energy over the winter.
Cleaning
As needed
Soil
Carnations prefer well-draining, loamy soil with a pH ranging from slightly alkaline to neutral (6.7 to 7.5). A mix of two parts loam to one part sand or perlite and one part compost or peat moss is ideal to provide the right balance of drainage, aeration, and nutrients.
Repotting
Carnations should be repotted every 1-2 years or when they become root-bound. Over time, the soil degrades, which can impact drainage and aeration, so regular repotting ensures continued plant health and vigor.
Humidity & Misting
Carnations thrive in average humidity levels around 40-60%. They do not require high humidity environments, making them suitable for typical household conditions.
Suitable locations
- Indoor
  Place in bright, indirect light and ensure good air circulation.
- Outdoor
  Plant in full sun with well-draining soil.
- Hardiness zone
  4-9 USDA
Life cycle
Dianthus 'Spitfire', also known as Carnation or Sweet William, begins life as a seed that germinates in the soil under appropriate conditions of temperature and moisture. The seedling emerges and develops true leaves, growing into a vegetative plant that forms a tight rosette of foliage near the ground. As it matures, the plant yields stems from the central rosette which elongate and form flowering buds at their tips. These buds blossom into the characteristic fragrant flowers of the Dianthus in various colors, often pink, red, or white. After pollination, which may be facilitated by insects such as bees, the flowers produce seeds in a capsule, completing the reproductive phase. The plant will either die after seeding if it is an annual, or it may enter a period of dormancy if perennial, to regrow and flower again in the following season.
Propogation
- Propogation time
  Spring-Early Summer
- Dianthus 'Spinfield Joy', commonly known as Pinks or Sweet William, can be propagated by cuttings. The best time to take cuttings for propagation is during late spring or early summer when the plant is actively growing. The process involves selecting a healthy, non-flowering shoot and cutting a piece around 4 to 6 inches long, just below a leaf node. The lower leaves are removed, and the cutting is then dipped into a rooting hormone to encourage root growth. The cutting is planted into a mix of sand and peat or a well-draining potting mix, ensuring the leaf nodes are buried where roots will develop. The soil should be kept moist, but not overly wet, and the cuttings should be placed in a warm, brightly lit area out of direct sunlight. Roots typically develop within a few weeks, after which the new plants can be gradually acclimated to outdoor conditions and eventually transplanted into the garden.