Fringed Pink (Dianthus superbus)

Summer-flowering annual or short-lived perennial
Description: Single, fragrant flowers with deeply fringed petals in colorful patterns of pink and crimson to white shades; blooms on long, upright stems above grassy foliage
Habit: Grows up to 2 feet high and 1 foot wide
Culture: Prefers full sun to light shade and well-drained neutral to alkaline soil; deadhead to prolong blooming period
Hardiness: Cold hardy to USDA Zone 4
Origin: Europe, Asia
Attributes: Deer resistant

With a native range from Italy north to Scandinavia and east through Russia and Japan, this species of Dianthus has distinctive deeply cut and feathered petals. The Fringed Pink is also notable for its scent: in The Flower Garden (1851), Joseph Breck wrote "this is one of the most fragrant of pinks." Thomas Jefferson grew Dianthus chinensis, a similar species with no fragrance, at Monticello. This plant is not attractive to deer.

Arrives in a 6" pot.