Dianthus caryophyllus L.

The plant referred to here is most likely the popular plant that has been in cultivation for centuries, known as the ‘Clove pink’, ‘Carnation’ or ‘Border Carnation’.  ‘Dianthus caryophyllus is considered the source whence have sprung the numerous varieties of the Carnation and the Picotee.’  [Don].  The parentage is obscure, but certainly includes Dianthus caryophyllus with D. chinensis and possibly others, depending on type and form.  Half-hardy to fully-hardy, very variable perennial with characteristic lance-shaped leaves and mounded to spreading habit.  The flowers, in a wide range of form and colour, are born mainly in the summer.  Numerous garden cultivars exist.  To 1.5m by 40cm.  [RHSE, Hortus].  Picotee is a division of the Florists’ Carnation, considered separately in the Hortus because this division is further sub-divided to complicate things and there are a large number of Picotees in the record.  ‘In the Florists’ Magazine for 1836 there is a concise statement upon the rules governing the Carnation.  It is divided, we are told, into three sections: Flakes, Bizarres, and Picotees.  Flakes have, generally, one colour on a white ground; and that colour is scarlet, purple, rose or pink.  Bizarres have two colours on a white ground, and are called Scarlet or Crimson Bizarres, according to the most dominant of these two colours.  The Bizarres are variegated in irregular spots or stripes.  Piquettes, or Picotees, have a white ground, spotted or pounced with scarlet, red, purple, or other colours.  The Picotees, it is confusing to read, are further divided into six distinct classes, red edged, maroon, chocolate, purple, rose, or scarlet edged, of each of these there being two divisions known as heavy and light edged.’  [Sitwell p.93].  See Dianthus caryophyllus L. var. Mathew’s ‘Ne Plus Ultra’ for further information on Victorian Picotees.