This is THE Dianthus barbatus question. Looking at the photos, I'm sure you can see why. Dianthus barbatus (aka Green Ball or Green Trick) looks like a self-contained diorama of a mossy forest (and yes, it is as soft as it looks).
The history of Dianthus dates back to over 2000 years, making it one of the oldest cultivated flower varieties. Greeks and Romans revered the plant, using its flowers for art, decor, and to build their iconic garlands. Two millennia later, Dianthus is still highly desirable. Just four years ago, two new varieties of Dianthus barbatus--better known as Green Ball and Green Trick--have been made available to the flower market.
These two new varieties provide bouquets with a never-seen-before texture and aspect. They are round, focal, and green, made up of soft filaments sitting atop a strong carnation-like stem. The difference between the two is simply size--Green ball has a diameter of 6cm or larger, while Green Trick is categorized as smaller than 6cm.
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| Row of freshly picked Dianthus |
We grow our Dianthus at our Oxnard farm, where the warm climate works well with its growing needs. I got together with one of our head growers, Manuel, who was able to answer my many Dianthus questions:
Q. How do we cultivate our Dianthus?
A. We start with really small, rooted cuttings, which we transplant into our hoop houses. We grow Dianthus year-round and always plant in soil.
Q. What kind of growing conditions does it need?
A. Dianthus likes warmth which is why we grow it here in Southern California. The temperate weather is perfect. However, too much heat will kill it, so we do take steps to maintain a perfect balance of light and shade, warm and cool. During summertime, we use shade cloth, and when winter arrives we take the shade cloth off and use plastic on the hoops in order to keep the warmth in during the cooler evenings.
Q. How do you know when they're ready to be picked?
A. It takes an average of 10-12 weeks from planting until the beginning of harvest, but we can tell when the plants are ready because the green heads are full, rotund, and soft in appearance. This means the plant is mature and prime for picking.
Q. What kind of growing conditions does it need?
A. Dianthus likes warmth which is why we grow it here in Southern California. The temperate weather is perfect. However, too much heat will kill it, so we do take steps to maintain a perfect balance of light and shade, warm and cool. During summertime, we use shade cloth, and when winter arrives we take the shade cloth off and use plastic on the hoops in order to keep the warmth in during the cooler evenings.
Q. How do you know when they're ready to be picked?
A. It takes an average of 10-12 weeks from planting until the beginning of harvest, but we can tell when the plants are ready because the green heads are full, rotund, and soft in appearance. This means the plant is mature and prime for picking.
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| Doug and Lane showing off our Green Ball Crop |
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| Dianthus, ready to shine |
Add another level to your floral creativity with the versatile and verdant "flower of the gods," Dianthus!
Inspirational Dianthus Designs:
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| Calla and Dianthus bouquet, photo courtesy of Modernly Wed |
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| Mixed Dianthus Bouquet Photo Courtesy of A Colorado Courtship |
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| A Rustic-inspired table arrangement, photo courtesy of Ruffled |
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| Simple, elegant table arrangements, photos via Style Me Pretty |
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| Adorable Dianthus boutineers, photo via Inspired By This |
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