Dianthus i.d?

[daveyp1970]

Could somebody id this Dianthus,i think it could be superbus but its not a tall thing.

[Philippe]

Hi

Dianthus superbus is quite variable I find. I grow here some of them which are of a very pale pink, almost white, others are of a much prettier pink. Some are giant, picking when in flower at 45/50cm height, others make beautiful patches of many flowering stems at only 30 cm.
I also have ssp. and var aus Japan, which are not so different from the european species.
Everything may hybridise, so it's difficult for me now to tell the pourcentage of natural variability and/or cross.

Dianthus superbus should nevertheless have this really sweet and unmistakable scent, which I didn't till know in none of the other dianthus I grow.
Leaves are I think always a bit broader than much of the other dianthus species ( and perhaps also greener, although I have some D.superbus with green-greyish leaves). Not always, but this can help perhaps for an identification

Bye

[daveyp1970]

Thank you Philippe,it isn't superbus then because the leaves are very thin,maybe a hybrid then.

[ashley]

... the leaves are very thin,maybe a hydrid then.

or perhaps arenarius Davey?

[daveyp1970]

Ashley you have nailed it.Thank you so much.

[Lesley Cox]

I was very disappointed when the D. superbus I grew from seed topped 50cms. I threw out them all, but one seeded and has given shorter seedlings, about 40cms - still too tall, of a deeper pink, quite a good colour so might keep a couple of those.

[daveyp1970]

Lesley are the nice plants,i have never seen superbus in the flesh.

[Lesley Cox]

Actually Davey, I didn't think they were nice plants at all. I'd seen superbus on the Forum in various places and was attracted to it but in mine the foliage was long and coarse, the stems lanky and overall, I thought it was pretty weedy. I may have enough to get a picture but it's winter here and only weeds seem to be doing much.

[Maggi Young]

Was rootling around in the Archived Old Forum- as one does! and found this lovely close-up from Cliff of Dianthus superbus ... it was here http://www.srgc.org.uk/discus/messages/4/15449.html

[daveyp1970]

WOW Maggie that is stunning.

[Lesley Cox]

I'm sure my superbus is right, and it was Cliff's picture that made me want to grow it. I think I just have a long and lanky form unfortunately. Now if those flowers were on 10cm stems.....

[daveyp1970]

Lesley i think i might have a go at breeding a dwarf or smaller plant with the same flowers.Now to get hold of superbus.

[ranunculus]

In the Dolomites we find significant stands of D. superbus, usually up to 30cms tall, but there is also a ssp. alpestris in Europe that can rise to twice that height.  The image above was of plants about 25cms tall found in meadows below Sassongher. Usually one of the most stunning plants of these meadows, apart from when it rains when the straggly heads droop in silent tears.

[Lesley Cox]

Lesley i think i might have a go at breeding a dwarf or smaller plant with the same flowers.Now to get hold of superbus.

Those flowers on a short plant would be very good, so I hope you manage it. I'll see what seed if any is still on my slightly shorter, deeper pink one and send it if there's anything. Close to mid winter here of course, (though Anthony in Auckland is still basking on the beach in the low 20s. 10c here today is predicted high, and light frost this morning.)