My New Addition

[Official Gardener]

Some close shots of the Dianthus that I bought from the nursery today

 

[Marck]

It is a very nice cultivar. Dianthus are wonderful for sunny, well-drained spots.

 

[pionjane]

Such a charm!

 

[gardengreetings]

Beautiful blooms, looks like Dianthus chinensis heddewigii 'Black And White Minstrels', with its rich maroon, almost black petals with lacy white edges.

Dianthus chinensis is native to eastern Asia and the name heddewigii is for Carl Heddewig, the first to grow it in Europe by propagation of seeds sent to him from Japan.

 

[Marck]

Dianthus chinensis 'Heddewigii' seems to be an old name for a seed strain cultivar of China Pinks, perhaps originally from Germany where the name is Heddewigs-Nelke (Heddewig's Clove-pink) is used as a common name for Dianthus chinensis. It seems like the name 'Heddewigii' mostly persists today as an additional modifier to the name Dianthus chinensis 'Black and White Minstrels', which may be the same or at least quite similar to Dianthus chinensis 'Velvet 'n' Lace'.

I agree that the plant pictured is similar to these named cultivars, but I would not be surprised if flowers with this colour pattern have originated many separate times.

 

[gardengreetings]

Yes, thanks; always interesting to learn more about botanical names and their background.

 

[LouisFerdinand]

I especially like the different shades of purple of the Dianthus.