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Annual BiennialBedding

Dianthus barbatus 'Oeschberg' (p,a)

sweet william 'Oeschberg'

A short-lived perennial often grown as a biennial. Fragrant flowers are vivid shades of deep purple and magenta, held above green leaves in late spring and early summer

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Ultimate height

0.1–0.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

1–2 years

Ultimate spread

0.1–0.5 metres

Loam

Sand

Chalk

Clay

Moisture

Well–drained

pH

Neutral, Alkaline, Acid

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun

Aspect

South–facing or West–facing or East–facing

Exposure

Exposed or Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Caryophyllaceae
Native to the UK: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Bushy
Potentially harmful: Humans/Pets: Skin allergen, wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling. For further information and contact numbers regarding pets, see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants
Genus: Dianthus can be annuals, evergreen perennials or subshrubs with narrow, often greyish leaves and showy flowers that are frequently fragrant
Name status: Accepted

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in a well-drained soil in a sunny position

Propagation

Propagate by softwood cuttings of non-flowering shoots. Dianthus barbatus can be grown from seed, but seed collected from cultivars may result in plants with different characteristics. Seed bought as a named cultivar can be sown in autumn for flowering the following spring, or sown in early spring for flowering in summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

City and courtyard gardens
Cottage and informal garden
Patio and container plants
Wildlife gardens
Bedding
Cut flowers
Flower borders and beds
Garden edging
Underplanting of roses and shrubs

Pruning

Deadhead regularly to prolong flowering

Pests

May be susceptible to slugs and aphids

Diseases

May be susceptible to powdery mildews, a rust, a virus and fusarium wilt

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