Dianthus armeria L.

Deptford pink

About plant names...

Deptford pinks occur through most of North America. They are named for Deptford, in London, where they were once commonplace near the Thames river.

6/26/2012 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Dunstable, Dunstable, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 3 × 3" (7.4 × 8.4 cm)

This compares maiden pinks to the closely related Deptford pinks:

	Dianthus deltoides	You are here Dianthus armeria
Common Name	maiden pink	Deptford pink
Plant	6-18" (15-45 cm) in height.	12-30" (30-76 cm) in height.
Flowers	½-¾" (1.3-1.9 cm) across, bright pink (sometimes lavendar or white), with five petals. They have a starlike ring near the center, and petals have serrated tips. Fowers from May to July.	Smaller, ¼" (8.5 mm) around, bright pink, petals with serrated tips.
Leaves	Narrow, bluish, grasslike leaves.	Grass-like, 3" (7.6 cm) × ⅛" (3.2 mm).
Range/ Zones
Habitats	Fields, roadsides, waste places.	Meadows, disturbed areas, roadsides.
Type	Wild	Wild

Identification: When not in bloom, this diminutive plant is easily overlooked. Fortunately it is almost always in bloom, and its five-petaled ¼" (8.5 mm) pink flowers are unmistakable in their color, shape, and serrations. (Yes, the pinking shears used to cut zigzag edges for sewing are named for pinks.) Deptford pinks love sunny meadows and disturbed areas. The plants can reach 30" (76 cm) in height, but I rarely see these thin plants above 12" (30 cm) or so. Leaves are grass-like, 3" (7.6 cm) × ⅛" (3.2 mm).

Edibility: Like most pinks, these contain saponins, and are not edible.

Online References:

Missouriplants.com

Illinois Wildflowers

Wikipedia

Kansas Wildflowers and Grasses

Wildflowers of the United States

The Oregon Flora Image Project

The Virginia Tech Weed Identification Guide

The Vanderbilt University Bioimages web site

6/26/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 5 × 4" (12 × 10 cm)

7/11/2009 · Nashua River Rail Trail, near NH Line, Dunstable, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 3½ × 3" (8.7 × 8.2 cm)

6/27/2013 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 1½ × 1½" (4.2 × 4.3 cm)

7/22/2021 · Mitchell Field, Harpswell, Maine
≈ 4½ × 3" (11 × 8 cm)

6/22/2016 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts

6/26/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 2 × 3" (5.5 × 7.5 cm)

6/26/2012 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Dunstable, Dunstable, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 2½ × 2" (6.5 × 5.6 cm)

7/3/2005 · Pepperell, Mass­a­chu­setts

7/27/2009 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 3 × 2½" (8.3 × 7.1 cm)

Dianthus armeria description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 14 Aug 2021.

© FloraFinder.org. All rights reserved.

7/22/2021 · Mitchell Field, Harpswell, Maine
≈ 2 × 2½" (6 × 7.1 cm)

7/8/2016 · Dunstable Rural Land Trust, Dunstable, Mass­a­chu­setts

Usually these have five petals. · 6/24/2015 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Ctr, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 2 × 2" (5.5 × 5.6 cm)

7/12/2013 · Wooden Bridge, East Pepperell, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 6 × 5" (14 × 13 cm)

6/27/2013 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 4 × 2½" (9.9 × 6.7 cm)

6/27/2016 · Nashua River Rail Trail, near Na, Ayer, Mass­a­chu­setts

7/4/2013 · Maine
≈ 4 × 4" (10 × 11 cm)

7/21/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Ayer, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 2½ × 3½" (7.1 × 9.2 cm)

8/7/2017 · Groton Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 3½ × 4" (9.2 × 9.9 cm)

Range:

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