Dianthus deltoides Flashing Lights - seeds

The annual pink 'Fanal', also known as 'Flashing Lights', is a Dianthus deltoides or deltoid carnation. It quickly forms a dense cushion of dark foliage in just one season. The flowering is particularly vibrant and bright, with small flowers with fringed petals in crimson red and a darker eye. Resilient, undemanding, and floriferous, this pink is ideal for rockeries and walls, as well as containers in full sun. It thrives in well-drained, even poor, soil and full sun.

The deltoid carnation 'Fanal' belongs to the family of Caryophyllaceae. It is also called heath carnation or prostrate carnation or maiden pink. It is a cultivar derived from Dianthus deltoides, a species native to Europe and temperate Asia. This dianthus has a very rapid growth. Its adult size will not exceed 15 cm in height, in flowers, with a spread of 30 cm or more. It forms a small prostrate clump with a spreading habit. Its tiny, linear, medium-green leaves sometimes tinged with violet, are flexible and densely packed on thin stems. The flowering starts in May-June and continues until September-October if the soil is not too dry. The plant is constantly covered in small red flowers with fringed petals. They have a slight fragrance.

Plant the 'Flashing Lights' deltoid carnation in an open location, on a slope, where it can spread in the sun. It looks stunning in a rockery, on the slope of a well-drained bank, or at the top of a dry stone wall. This plant can fill the base of shrubs in large pots and decorate large containers, or alpine troughs. Before planting, in heavy or clayey soils, add a few shovelfuls of gravel and coarse sand to facilitate water drainage. The deltoid carnation pairs well with alpine plants such as alyssum, soapworts, creeping phlox (P.subulata and P.douglasii), aubrieta, iberis, and rockroses.

The generic name comes from the Greek 'dios' for 'Jupiter or divine' and 'anthos' for 'flower'. These dianthus, or 'divine flowers', were named as such by Theophrastus because of their sweet fragrance and beauty. Deltoides refers to 'delta', the Greek letter, in relation to the shape of the petals.