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Sweet-William's (Dianthus barbatus) inflorescence, located at the apex of the stem, is a flat-topped or slightly domed cyme of 5-30 flowers. Individual flowers are about an inch across consisting of a tubular calyx about 3/8" long with five sharply triangular lobes; five broad, variously colored petals that have very narrow bases ("clawed") and a toothed or fringed outer edge; 10 stamens with purplish anthers (which often fall off the filament); and two styles. Fertilized flowers produce oval to cylindrical seed capsules about 1/2" long with four teeth around the open end. The flowers of Sweet-William are edible. Sweet-William prefers deep, organic-rich, well drained soils in full sun, preferably in a disturbed site. The sweet William plants growing in Jackson Park are undoubtedly escapees from a nearby garden (a rare event). The only other Dianthus spp. in Jackson Park is Deptford pink (Dianthus armeria), also a perennial exotic. The two species are similar in having fringed petals and a terminal inflorescence, but otherwise you would never confuse them; Deptford pink is a subtle beauty, sweet William shouts for joy.

Dianthus

Dianthus barbatus

sweet-William [Blooms: Jun-Jul]