Annual
Dianthus (Pinks)
Dianthus chinensis · Caryophyllaceae
Also called: China pink, Indian pink, Pinks, Rainbow pink
Dianthus (Pinks) (Dianthus chinensis) is a low-water annual well suited to Tucson and the low desert. It's a moderate-growing annual.
Dianthus (Pinks) at a glance
- Water use
- Low (established)
- Sun
- Full sun in the cool season for best flowering; light afternoon shade helps stretch the season into warm spring.
- Mature size
- 6–12 in tall, 6–12 in spread.
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Bloom
- Pink, rose, red, white, and bicolor 'eyed' patterns; flowers often have fringed petals and a light spicy scent., Winter through spring (Dec–Apr/May), often the longest-blooming of the cool-season annuals here.
- Cold hardiness
- Fairly cold-hardy for an annual; tolerates frost into the low-to-mid 20s°F. Among the more heat-tolerant cool-season annuals but still declines in summer heat (treated as an annual in the low desert; some types behave as short-lived perennials).
- Soil
- Well-drained soil is essential; tolerant of alkaline desert soils and does best with neutral-to-slightly-alkaline pH and good drainage.
- Native range
- Eastern Asia (China, Korea, Mongolia, southeastern Russia). Grown as a cool-season annual in Tucson.
- Best used as
- Winter/spring color beds and edging, Containers and window boxes, Mass bedding, Light cut flowers, Cool-season pollinator nectar
- Wildlife
- Lightly fragrant flowers attract bees and butterflies during the cool season.
- Toxicity
- Mildly toxic to dogs and cats — can cause mild GI upset (vomiting) and skin/mouth irritation if eaten; flag for pets. Generally low-risk for people (sap may irritate sensitive skin).
How to grow Dianthus (Pinks) in Tucson & the low desert
Watering
Cool-season annual: plant Oct–Nov for winter-into-spring bloom. Lower water needs than pansies/stock — water 1–2x/week, letting the top of the soil dry slightly; dislikes soggy, poorly drained soil. Fades in late-spring heat.
Fertilizer & nutrients
Compost-amended beds plus a balanced or bloom fertilizer every 3–4 weeks; light-to-moderate feeder. Avoid heavy nitrogen, which favors foliage over flowers.
Pruning & care
Deadhead spent blooms to encourage continuous flowering; shear lightly after a flush to rejuvenate.
Notes
Reliable, long-blooming, and relatively drought- and heat-tolerant among the cool-season annuals — excellent for Tucson winter color. Good drainage is key in clay or over-irrigated beds. Note pet toxicity, unlike pansies/violas which are pet-safe and edible.
Sources: University of Arizona Cooperative Extension – Pima County Monthly Gardening Guides; Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder; ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants (Dianthus); AMWUA / Tucson cool-season annual references