Planting Methods and Key Technical Points for Sweet William
Sweet William (Dianthus barbatus L.), also known as American pink, tenfold brocade and rainbow pink, is a perennial herb in the family Caryophyllaceae, 30-60 cm tall, with upright stems and lanceolate leaves. The flowers are numerous, gathered into heads; the petals have long claws and ovate blades, usually reddish-purple with white dots and markings. The capsule is ovate-oblong, and the seeds are brown, flat-ovate. The flowering and fruiting period is May to October. Sweet William is native to Europe and is now cultivated in various parts of China for ornamental purposes. Sweet William is cold-hardy but not tolerant of intense summer heat, and prefers sunny, high, dry, well-ventilated sites and fertile loam with good drainage. In gardens, Sweet William can be used in flower beds, flower borders, raised flower platforms or as potted plants, and can also be used for rock gardens and as edging along lawns.
Morphological Characteristics
Perennial herb, 30-60 cm tall, the whole plant hairless. Stems upright, angular. Leaves lanceolate, 4-8 cm long, about 1 cm wide, apex acute, base gradually narrowed, united into a sheath, entire margin, midrib obvious. Flowers numerous, gathered into heads, with several leaf-like involucral bracts; pedicels very short; bracts 4, ovate, apex caudate-acuminate, margin membranous, finely toothed, equal to or slightly longer than the calyx; calyx tubular, about 1.5 cm long, with sharp-tipped teeth; petals with long claws, petal blades ovate, usually reddish-purple with white dots and markings, apex toothed, throat bearded; stamens slightly exserted; ovary oblong, style linear. Capsule ovate-oblong, about 1.8 cm long, apex 4-cleft to the middle; seeds brown, flat-ovate, smooth. Flowering and fruiting period May to October.
Main Value
Rainbow pink has a low-growing plant form, stems like bamboo, and fresh green foliage. Its natural flowering period is May to September, from late spring to mid-autumn, and greenhouse potted plants can flower in all four seasons. The flowers are terminal on the branches, single or in pairs, and also in paniculate cymes. The flower diameter is not large, only 2 to 3 cm, but the flowers are abundant and bloom in succession, giving a long ornamental period. Flower colors include white, pink, red, rose, scarlet, purple, light purple, yellow, blue, etc., colorful and endlessly varied. In gardens, it can be used in flower beds, flower borders, raised flower platforms or as potted plants, and can also be used for rock gardens and as edging along lawns. When planted in large areas, it can serve as a landscape groundcover material. In addition, carnation has the ability to absorb sulfur dioxide and chlorine gas, so it can be planted in quantity wherever there are toxic gases. It is also excellent for cut-flower display.