Dianthus barbatus 'Monksilver Black' (p,a)

RHS Plant Profile
sweet william 'Monksilver Black'

Save a plant

Where do you want to save Dianthus barbatus 'Monksilver Black' (p,a)?

Plants I own
Wishlist
Go to My Plants
sweet william 'Monksilver Black' visionspictures.com
Plants for pollinators
Annual Biennial Bedding
Buy this from Plant Nurseries
5 Suppliers

A short-lived perennial usually treated as a biennial and grown as a bedding plant. Dark red, scented flowers in late spring and early summer are held above dark purple, almost black leaves

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Loam, Sand, Clay, Chalk

Max Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
1–2 years
Max Spread
0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height
0.1-0.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Loam Sand Clay Chalk
Moisture
Well–drained
pH
Alkaline or Neutral or Acid

Position

Full sun
Aspect
East–facing or South–facing or West–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)
H6

Colour & Scent

Fragrance Flower
Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Caryophyllaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Evergreen
Habit
Bushy
Potentially harmful
Humans/Pets: Skin allergenwear 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
Unresolved
Horticultural Group

Horticultural Classification Codes

Horticultural Classification Codes are often given to genera which have a large number of species or cultivars. They are used to categorise cultivated plants based on specific, shared characteristics such as shape, colour, size or flowering time, and can be displayed as letters or numbers

For example:
Dahlia ‘Sunset Kate (Sin) = Single flower
Rosa ‘Marigold’ (HT) = Hybrid Tea

Annual Pinks are brightly coloured, low-growing bushy plants which are grown for a single season for bedding, borders or pots and containers. Some may survive winter or self-seed

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in a well-drained soil in full sun

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

Suggested planting locations and garden types

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

Pruning

Deadhead as required

Pests

May be susceptible to slugs and aphids

Diseases

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