Chinese Pink, Rainbow pink, Annual Pink, China Pink
Dianthus chinensis
Family: Caryophyllaceae
What it is like
Bloom Color: Pink. Main Bloom Time: Early summer, Early fall, Late summer, Mid summer. Form: Rounded.
Dianthus chinensis is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.7 m (2ft 4in) at a medium rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 7. It is in flower from July to August, and the seeds ripen from August to September. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees, Lepidoptera (Moths & Butterflies). It is noted for attracting wildlife. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.
Height (m): 0.7
Where it is found
A wide variety of habitats including sandy forest margins, dry hillsides and summits, forest and hillside grasslands, scrub on mountain slopes, rocky ravines, meadows and streamsides.
E. Asia - China.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 0
Medicine
Rating: 3
The Chinese pink has been used for over 2,000 years in Chinese herbal medicine. The whole plant is a bitter tonic herb that stimulates the digestive and urinary systems and also the bowels. It is also anthelmintic, antibacterial, antiphlogistic, diaphoretic, diuretic, emmenagogue, febrifuge and haemostatic. It is used internally in the treatment of acute urinary tract infections (especially cystitis), urinary stones, constipation and failure to menstruate. It is used externally to treat skin inflammations and swellings. The old leaves are crushed and used for clearing the eyesight. The plants are harvested just before the flowers open and are dried for later use.
Anthelmintic: Expels parasites from the gut.
Antibacterial: Kills bacteria.
Antiphlogistic: Reduces inflammation.
Diaphoretic: Induces perspiration.
Diuretic: Acts on the kidneys, promoting the flow of urine.
Emmenagogue: Promotes or increases the menstrual flow. In early stages of pregnancy it can induce an abortion.
Febrifuge: Reduces fevers.
Haemostatic: Controls internal bleeding.
Ophthalmic: Treats eye complaints.
Tonic: Improves general health. Slower acting than a stimulant, it brings steady improvement.
Urinary: Treats urinary problems, including urinary tract infection (UTI).
Other
Rating:
Attracts Wildlife: Plants noted for attracting wildlife
How it is grown
Landscape Uses:Border, Container, Ground cover, Massing, Rock garden. Prefers a rich well-drained loamy neutral to alkaline soil in a sunny position, but succeeds in most soils including dry ones. A very ornamental plant, it is usually biennial in habit, but can be a short-lived perennial. There are many cultivars that are widely grown in gardens. Since these flower freely in their first year and then degenerate, they are usually treated as annuals. A very variable species in the wild, it has often been subdivided into up to eight different varieties. Special Features:Attractive foliage, Naturalizing, Suitable for cut flowers, Fragrant flowers, Attractive flowers or blooms.
Propagating it: Seed - sow May/June in a cold frame. The seed usually germinates in 2 - 3 weeks. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer or autumn. The seed can also be sown thinly in an outdoor seedbed in late spring, the young plants being planted out in late spring or the autumn1]. Cuttings of half-ripe shoots, July in a frame. Division in September. Larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the spring.
Best place to grow: Cultivated Beds;
Habit: Perennial
Hardiness: 5-8
Growth: Medium
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: No shade
Moisture: Dry, moist