The carnation is one of the most beautiful plants that exist. However, you may not have seen all the varieties of the carnation flower that exist. And it is no wonder, considering that there are just over 250 different species.
Do you want us to tell you about some of the most beautiful ones? Those that have an unusual key flower that would rival other more expensive exotic plants? Well, pay attention to the list that we have prepared for you.
Carthusian carnation
Scientific name Dianthys carthusianorum, It is a carnation with a lot of history. And, at first, it was not used decoratively, but rather it was used to treat muscle pain and rheumatism. It was the Carthusian monks of the French Alps who made use of this plant, which they grew in their gardens for their own consumption.
And that's where the name it now has comes from.
But how is? For a start, It is about 60 centimeters tall and has very dense flowers., with very leafy, toothed, open and flat leaves. They can be pink, white or magenta.
Gredos Carnation
Dianthus gredensis is a key that you don't realize it is. As its name indicates, it sits in the Sierra de Gredos and you should know that it is one of the smallest that exists. And the stems are not very long, just about 10 cm long, and the flowers will not reach one centimeter long.
For this reason, they often go unnoticed or are thought to be just wildflowers. But the truth is that it is not like that, it is quite a carnation.
The most striking thing about it are its flowers because they are made up of five petals., but these are broken at the ends into several thin strips in such a way that it gives a unique look. To this we must add that it has a shadow as if it were from a second flower at the bases of the petals, creating two flowers in one.
Related to this carnation, there is another very similar one, only in pink and with a second flower in magenta. We are talking about the crowned carnation (Dianthus plumarius). The main difference lies in the thin strips (here they are not so pronounced) as well as the color of the flower itself.
Carnation Merlin or Raspberry swirl
The Dianthus Devon siskin is another variety of carnation that barely grows (only between 10 and 20 centimeters) and that blooms quite a bit throughout the year.
It is a genetically modified variety of carnation flower. by man (he was born in 1997 in the United Kingdom).
And what is it like? It is a flower whose petals remain united and with some depth (as if flowers had a body). These are white, but are covered in a deep magenta color. Thus, the color alternates with white.
In the center, and in white or transparent color, the anthers emerge, which give it a greenish-yellowish touch at the base.
Turkish carnation
We continue with the varieties of the carnation flower to show you one that does not look like a carnation. And yet, it is one of the most beautiful there is. The Turkish carnation, scientific name Tagetes patula, It is one of the biggest. It can reach one and a half meters high.
The flowers, for their part, are not so large, in fact, they are somewhat smaller in size than those of the best-known carnation. Of course, they are always orange or yellow, although a shade between the two is the most common.
Nice Carnation
This is one of the most difficult varieties of the carnation flower to find, and that is why it is one of the most appreciated.
Physically it can reach 80 cm in height and the flowers are the most striking. They are solitary type, very aromatic and can be double or semi-double. But in many cases these flowers have a different color on the edges of the petals.
wild carnation
The Dianthus deltoides is one of the carnations that we can find on an outing to the countryside., especially if you live in Europe or Asia, and if you go to meadows or forests. Even so, it can now be grown for gardens, since it is a creeping plant.
Physically, it is a plant whose main beauty lies in its petals, which are fuchsia in color with white specks. In addition, the petals (five in total) are toothed at the ends.
Kaori Carnation
If before we talked to you about a very small carnation, in this case it is perhaps even smaller. And it is a small creeping plant, especially the flowers.
These are hot pink and you will hardly associate it with the look of a real carnation. But if you put it in the garden it will look very good.
miniature carnation
Lastly, and beyond the common, Chinese carnation, etc. we have the miniature, which acts as a bush from which several stems emerge and these are capable of producing several flowers on the same floral stem.
The flowers can be soft, strong pink or white.
Carnation care
Although each variety of carnation flower has a series of characteristics and needs, we can give you some data that is common in almost all types:
- Location: They like to be outside. Although they tolerate direct sun, when you live in a warm area we do not recommend it; It is better that it be in a place with indirect light, a lot of it, with a few hours of direct sun in the morning or late afternoon, and protected from drafts and low temperatures.
- Substratum: It needs loose soil, so don't forget to add perlite or some other drainage so that water does not accumulate in the roots and there are no problems with waterlogging.
- Irrigation: This is where there will be the most difference with the type of carnation. Some will require more water than others.
To tell the truth, there are many varieties of the carnation flower, although it is not easy to find different ones because only the most common ones are known. So If you know another variety and want to share it with us, you can leave it in the comments.