Dianthus knappii

Dianthus knappii, or Knapp's Carnation, is a botanical species native to the Balkans, rare in cultivation. It is distinguished by its longevity and by its pale-yellow flowers with a reddish reverse, an unusual colour among carnations. Truly perennial, it will produce small bouquets of light and soft yellow flowers year after year. The flowers emerge above a tuft of dark green evergreen foliage. Perfectly hardy, it combines strength, frugality, and delicacy. A plant for collectors. Ideal in rockeries and on walls, in full sun and well-drained soil.

Knapp's Carnation belongs to the Caryophyllaceae family. It is endemic to a border area between Bosnia Herzegovina and Montenegro located in the Dinaric Alps. The habitat of this carnation consists of warm and dry areas on the edge of forests, in clearings and dry meadows, in shallow and often limestone rocky soil. Its growth is quite fast. Its adult size will not exceed 30cm (12in) in height when flowering with a similar spread. This plant forms a small spreading clump with a loose habit. Its dark green linear and lanceolate leaves are evergreen and leathery, measuring 1.5cm (1in) long and 2 to 4mm (1in) wide. Flowering takes place in May and June, sometimes in July depending on the climate and can reoccur in autumn. The plant then produces slender stems that bear 3 to 4 small single flowers, 1.5cm (1in) wide, formed by 5 dentate petals of sulphur-yellow colour with a washed red reverse.

Dianthus knappii is ideal for embankments and rockeries. It is not commonly seen in gardens. Its advantages are its tender yellow flowering, a unique colour in the world of carnations, and its excellent adaptation to dry rockeries. It will be particularly suitable for dry or alpine gardens, on a poor bank, and wherever the soil lacks depth. It can be accompanied by sedums as well as other flowering cushions such as helianthemums, dwarf artemisia (Artemisia lanata), Caucasian rock cress, Phlox subulata, Delosperma cooperi, or Erigeron karvinskianus, and bloody cranesbill (Geranium sanguineum). This plant looks lovely between the stones of a wall or pavement.