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Products > Dianthus 'Gloriosa'   Dianthus 'Gloriosa' - Silver Pink     [2nd Image] Habit and Cultural Information Category: Perennial Family: Caryophyllaceae (Pinks) Origin: Garden Origin Evergreen: Yes Flower Color: Lavender Pink Bloomtime: Spring Fragrant Flowers: Yes Synonyms: [Dianthus 'Seattle Shaggy'] Parentage: (Dianthus plumarius x D. caryophyllus) Height: <1 foot Width: 1-2 feet Exposure: Full Sun Summer Dry: Yes Irrigation (H2O Info): Low Water Needs Winter Hardiness: < 0 °F Dianthus 'Gloriosa' (Silver Pink) - A beautiful perennial with narrow blue-gray foliage that trails along the ground to form a low growing mound 8 to 12 inches tall by several feet wide. In late spring to mid-summer appear the fragrant double lavender pink flowers that have a touch of red at the base of the petals in the center of the flower. Best in full sun but will grow in light shade. Irrigate infrequently to occasionally – a summer dry growing plant once established. Hardy to below 0 °F (to USDA Zone 5). This is a great little pink for the dry garden but very hard to keep nice in a nursery container. The fragrance, reminiscent of clove, hints at the heritage of this plant as it was the result of crossing a pink (Dianthus plumarius) with the carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus). This old hybrid was thought to be bred in the 1700's in Scotland and then lost in cultivation until rediscovered by Leone Bell in a Seattle, Washington garden in 1980. The name of the genus comes from the Greek words 'Dios' meaning "of Zeus" and 'anthos' meaning "flower" so means the "flower of Zeus" as was cited by the Greek botanist Theophrastus. Our thanks go out to John Bleck for our original cuttings of this great little plant and to Shirley Kirens at the Huntington Botanic Garden for identifying it. We first offered this plant in 2005 and is has long been a favorite of local Santa Barbara gardeners.  This information is based on research conducted about this plant in our nursery library and from reliable online sources. We also take into consideration observations of it in our nursery of crops, as well as of plants growing in the nursery's garden and those in other gardens we have visited. We will incorporate comments received from others and welcome getting feedback from anyone who may have additional information, particularly if it includes cultural information that would aid others in growing Dianthus 'Gloriosa'.