Dianthus plumarius Coral Reef

Dianthus 'Coral Reef', like all the carnations in the Scent First series, displays a compact habit and offers a long pleasant summer flowering with a spicy fragrance. Its bright coral-pink flowers are fully double and fringed at the edges with white. Particularly suited for container cultivation due to its small size and floribundity, it is also an excellent perennial for sunny borders where it forms persistent cushions of beautiful grey-blue foliage even in winter. 

'Coral Reef' belongs to the Caryophyllaceae family. It is a cultivar selected in England, resulting from cross-breeding between Dianthus plumarius and D. gratianopolitanus, among others. D. plumarius is a European perennial which is the main ancestor of the various groups of old-fashioned and modern carnations and pinks. D. gratianopolitanus is native to Europe and Asia, and has passed on to its descendants its compact habit and its wonderful clove fragrance.

'Coral Reef' has a fast growth rate. Its adult size will not exceed 25cm (10in) in height with a similar spread. It can widen even more, as the plant spreads over time. It forms a dense clump. From May-June to August, it bears 4 to 5cm (2in) wide double flowers with slightly toothed petals. They are carried at the end of short, often branched stems. Its linear, glabrous, evergreen, and leathery leaves are a superb grey-green colour

'Coral Reef' is a very attractive plant for patios or balconies. It is hardy to at least -15°C (5°F). It is undemanding in terms of water, but loves the sun. It will thrive in well-drained beds, embankments, and rockeries. Its beautiful scented flowers bring undeniable charm to the most modest setting. For example, it can be placed with other carnations ('Devon Dove', 'Devon Magic', 'Devon Cream', 'Letitia Wyatt'), or to accompany the blue bells of campanulas, the lavender blue mosses of catmints, and small lavenders, or flowering cushions like rockroses, catchflies, wall bellflowers, Caucasian rock cress, moss phlox, trailing fleabane, and bloody cranesbill (Geranium sanguineum). To evoke gardens of the past, a small border of these delightful carnations can be planted at the base of peony clumps and old roses. This plant forms a lovely edging between the stones of a wall or paving, in a trough or in a container.