Dianthus plumarius Passion Hot Red

Dianthus Passion Hot Red is one of the reddest carnations currently available. It has a compact habit and offers a long spring to summer flowering period that is delightfully fragrant. Its large double flowers are a deep, velvety red, and they bloom for weeks above a small tuft of grey-green leaves that are decorative even in winter. Particularly suited for container cultivation due to its small size and floribundity, it is also an excellent perennial for sunny borders. Its fragrant flowers can also be used to create lovely bouquets.

Dianthus Passion Hot Red belongs to the Caryophyllaceae family. It is a recent cultivar, derived from D. plumarius, among others. D. plumarius is a European perennial that is the main ancestor of various groups of both old-fashioned and modern carnations. Its growth rate is quite rapid. Its mature size will not exceed 25cm (10in) in height and 30cm (12in) in spread, or even more. The plant forms a low, regular, and dense tuft. From April to October, it produces 4 to 5cm (2in) wide double flowers of a dark, almost purple, very uniform red colour. They are borne on relatively long, often branched stems. Its linear, glabrous, pointed, leathery leaves are a beautiful grey-green-blue colour and persist in winter.

Dianthus Passion Hot Red is an elegant and fragrant variety, ideal for a patio or balcony. It also excels as a border plant, in embankments, and in sunny rockeries. Its vibrant red flowers bring undeniable charm to any setting and are capable of perfuming the entire patio on hot days, or an entire room in a vase. This plant looks lovely between the stones of a wall or path, or in a trough. As a border plant, it can be accompanied, for example, by grape hyacinths, small lavender plants, and catmints, or other flowering cushions such as sun roses, catchflies, Phlox subulata, and Erigeron karvinskianus. To evoke old-fashioned gardens, a small border of these lovely carnations can be planted at the base of clumps of peonies and old-fashioned roses. These robust carnations adapt to any well-drained soil as long as they are planted in full sun.