Dianthus 'Firewitch' is a compact and heavily blooming perennial known for its vivid magenta pink flowers and spicy clove like fragrance. The blooms appear in late spring and often rebloom throughout summer, rising above a dense mat of silvery blue foliage that holds its color year round. This cultivar won the Perennial Plant of the Year award in 2006 for its outstanding performance and ornamental appeal. Its flowers are excellent for cutting, and the evergreen foliage forms a tidy low tuft even in winter.
Height & Spread: 6 - 8 in x 12 - 18 in
Bloom Time: Late spring with sporadic rebloom into summer
Light Requirements: Full sun
Soil Preference: Well drained, alkaline to neutral soils
Watering Needs: Low; avoid excessive moisture, especially in winter
Deer Resistance: Deer resistant
Native Status
Though derived from Dianthus species native to Europe and western Asia, 'Firewitch' is a cultivated hybrid and not native to North America.
WILDLIFE & INSECTS
Butterflies
- Frequently visited by butterflies such as Painted Ladies and Eastern Tailed Blues for its nectar rich blooms.
Bees
- Attracts small native bees and honeybees drawn to the fragrant pollen rich flowers.
Moths
- Night flying moths may be drawn to the clove scent and accessible nectar during warm summer evenings.
Birds
- Seed heads left to mature may be foraged by small songbirds such as goldfinches and juncos.
Spacing & Landscape Use
Spacing Recommendations:
- Space 12 - 18 in apart to form a low carpet and encourage airflow between clumps.
Landscape Placement:
- Excellent for rock gardens, border edges, raised beds, and slopes. Pairs well in fragrance focused or cutting gardens, and performs well in containers with good drainage.
Companion Plants
- Lavandula angustifolia (English Lavender) - Offers aromatic foliage and purple flower spikes that echo Dianthus in both form and fragrance.
- Achillea millefolium (Common Yarrow) - Adds ferny texture and long lasting blooms that thrive in similar dry sunny conditions.
- Salvia nemorosa 'Caradonna' (Wood Sage) - Provides upright purple flower spikes and attracts many of the same pollinators as Dianthus.
- Nepeta faassenii (Catmint) - Spills gently over borders with soft lavender flowers and aromatic leaves that complement the blue green foliage of Dianthus.
- Artemisia schmidtiana 'Silver Mound' (Wormwood) - Adds feathery silver foliage and low mounding form that enhances the color of 'Firewitch'.