Deptford Pink, Grass Pink, Mountain Pink, Wild Pink

Dianthus armeria

dy-AN-thus  ar-MER-ee-uh

Synonyms of Dianthus armeria (20) (Updated on 12-11-23 from Plants of the World Online): Caryophyllus armerius Moench (1794), Cylichnanthus maculatus Dulac (1867), Dianthus armeria f. acaulis Bolzon (1911), Dianthus armeria f. alba Stritch (1983), Dianthus armeria f. albiviridis J.H.Lehr (1963), Dianthus armeria f. caespitosa Bolzon (1911), Dianthus armeria var. glabratus Rouy & Foucaud (1896), Dianthus armeria f. glabrissimus Sigunov (1977), Dianthus armeria var. laevis Heuff. (1858), Dianthus armeria var. uniflorus Rouy & Foucaud (1896), Dianthus carolinianus Walter (1788), Dianthus epirotus Halácsy (1898), Dianthus hirsutus Lam. (1779), Dianthus hirtus Lam. (1779), Dianthus hybridus F.W.Schmidt ex Tausch (1830), Dianthus pseudocorymbosus Velen. (1910 publ. 1911), Dianthus villosus Gilib. (1782)(opus utique oppr.), Dianthus vivariensis Jord. ex Boreau (1857), Gypsophila armeria var. nanus Boenn. (1824), Silene vaga E.H.L.Krause (1901)(not validly publ.)

Dianthus armeria L. is the accepted scientific name for this species of Armeria. The genus and species were both named and described as such by Carl von Linnaeus in the first volume of the first edition of Species Plantarum in 1753.

As of 12-11-23 when this page was last updated, Plants of the World Online lists 355 accepted species in the Armeria genus. The Armeria genus is a member of the plant family Caryophyllaceae with a total of 102 genera. Those numbers could change periodically as updates are made on POWO.

The above distribution map for Dianthus armeria from Plants of the World Online, by permission, shows where the species is native in green and where it was introduced in purple. The map on the USDA Plants Database is somewhat different.

The map on iNaturalist shows where members have made observations. Anyone can join and it is a great website to confirm and share your observations. The maps on iNaturalist are continually updated as members post new observations.

THERE ARE SEVERAL LINKS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE FOR FURTHER READING AND TO HELP WITH A BETTER POSITIVE ID.

I first identified this species in 2019 from plants growing in the front part of the main hayfield/pasture and on a friend’s farm. Plants are easily recognized by their unscented bright pink flowers with white spots, stiff stems, and very narrow leaves. Common names include Deptford Pink, Grass Pink, Mountain Pink, Wild Pink, and possibly others.

Dianthus armeria is a member of the plant family Caryophyllaceae and a native of Europe. It is a common sight in Missouri and is scattered all across the continental U.S. and up into Canada.

Here on the farm, they grow mostly in the front part of the main hayfield/pasture. I have seen them in other areas here but not as plentiful. They prefer full sun and are drought tolerant due to their taproots. Information online says they can be found in glades, upland prairies, forest openings, pastures, fields, fencerows, roadsides, etc. Here on the farm, they grow in sandy loam, but apparently, they are supposed to prefer clay loam and gravely soil that is somewhat compacted. They tolerate drought, but not poorly draining soil. Apparently, the species isn’t competitive in high-quality habitats and prefers fairly poor soil. 

Plants grow to around 2 1/2’ tall on stiff, round stems. Plants branch out at the base and along the stems, but can also be unbranched. Stems can be hairless (glabrous) or have short curled hairs (pubescent), especially at the nodes and tips of branches. 

The opposite leaves grow up to 3” long and 1/8” across, are slightly hairy, and taper to a sharply or bluntly pointed tip. The base of the pair of leaves wraps around the stem at the leaf nodes forming a sheath.

A single flower or a cluster of 3-6 grows from the top of the stems. 

The flowers are 1/3-1/2” across and have 5 pinkish-red to purplish-red petals with toothed tips. The petals have white spots, but several seem to have maroon spots as well. In the center of the flowers are 10 stamens with pink to purplish anthers, a light green 2-locular, cylindric-shaped ovary, topped by 2 white filiform styles.

The flowers are subtended by sharply pointed tubular sepals with 20-25 veins (nerves). The sepals are also surrounded by 3-4 narrow leaf-like bracts. Both the sepals and bracts are finely hairy.

The Missouri Plants website has a lot of great photos and descriptions of wildflowers from Missouri. The site has been my number one source for verifying wildflower species I have on the farm and surrounding areas. Photos are available for non-commercial educational uses with proper citation. To go to their page for Dianthus armeria click HERE.

Once pollinated, the ovaries turn into an elongated fruit containing numerous seeds.  

Plants start blooming in May and continue until they get zapped an “F” in October. Flowers are unscented and self-fertile but they also attract butterflies, skippers, bee flies, and long and short-tongued bees. These insects feed on the nectar and pollen. 

Plants have a low toxicity level due to their triterpenoid saponins. The leaves and stems can cause contact dermatitis, although irritation only lasts for a few minutes. 

In 2024, I hope to take more photos and better close-ups and hopefully replace the ones I have borrowed.

There are a few more photos at the bottom of the page…

I have enjoyed photographing and learning about the many wildflowers growing on the farm and other areas. I have grown over 500 different plants and identified over 250 species of wildflowers (most have pages listed on the right side of the blog). I am not an expert, botanist, or horticulturalist. I just like growing, photographing, and writing about my experience. I rely on several websites for ID and a horticulturalist I contact if I cannot figure them out. Wildflowers can be somewhat variable from location to location, so sometimes it gets a bit confusing. If you see I have made an error, please let me know so I can correct what I have written.

I hope you found this page useful and be sure to check the links below for more information. They were written by experts and provide much more information. If you can, I would appreciate it if you would click on the “Like” below and leave a comment. It helps us bloggers stay motivated. You can also send an email to me at thebelmontrooster@yahoo.com. I would enjoy hearing from you especially if you notice something is a bit whacky. Sometimes I make a mistake when I am writing (that we will blame on the keyboard, mouse, or Grammarly) and may not notice until the next update.

FOR FURTHER READING:
PLANTS OF THE WORLD ONLINE (GENUS/SPECIES)
INTERNATIONAL PLANT NAMES INDEX (GENUS/SPECIES)
TROPICOS (GENUS/SPECIES)
FLORA OF NORTH AMERICA (GENUS/SPECIES)
WORLD FLORA ONLINE (GENUS/SPECIES)
WIKIPEDIA (GENUS/SPECIES)
DAVE’S GARDEN
MISSOURI PLANTS
iNATURALIST
WILDFLOWER SEARCH
USDA PLANTS DATABASE
ILLINOIS WILDFLOWERS
MINNESOTA WILDFLOWERS
KANSAS WILDFLOWERS AND GRASSES
GO BOTANY
NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY

NOTE: The data (figures, maps, accepted names, etc.) may not match on these websites. It depends on when and how they make updates and when their sources make updates. Some websites have hundreds and even many thousands of species to keep up with. Accepted scientific names change periodically and it can be hard to keep with as well. Some of the links may use a name that is a synonym on other sites. In my opinion, Plants of the World Online by Kew is one of the most reliable and up-to-date plant databases and they make updates regularly. I make updates “at least” once a year and when I write new pages or add new photos but I do get behind. We are all a work in progress. 🙂

A FEW MORE PHOTOS…

Dianthus armeria (Deptford Pink) on 6-12-20, #707-1.

On June 12 in 2020 while cleaning out the dead leaves in the row of Daylilies in the back of a friend’s home south of town, I found this cluster of Dianthus armeria.