The carnation or crown campion is a biennial perennial that usually only flowers in the second year. It has beautiful, silvery-grey leaves, up to ten centimeters long, which - like the stem - are covered with woolly hairs. In July and August, the multi-branched clusters develop about three centimeters wide, usually pale crimson to crimson flowers. Propagation is by seeds sown immediately after seed ripening or in spring.
The carnation also sows itself after flowering
The right time for sowing
The right time to sow seeds you have collected yourself is late summer or early autumn. You can tell when the seeds are ripe because you can simply pour the black seeds, which are very similar to poppy seeds, out of the seed capsule into a container - the capsule, which is similar to a cup, has a circular hole at the top. Alternatively, sowing in spring is also possible - for example with purchased seeds.
Flowering only in the second year
But whether you are already spreading the seeds in spring or only in autumn, the garden carnation will still only flower in the second year. In the first year only a rosette of leaves develops, although this also looks very unusual due to its silver-grey colour. The perennial looks particularly beautiful together with blue-violet flowering and other gray-leaved perennials such as holy herb (Santolina) or felty tomentosum (Cerastium tomentosum). You need about four plants per square meter.
Sow the carnation
As with all carnation plants, the sowing of the vexier carnation is very simple:
- Thoroughly dig up a bed at the targeted location.
- The location should be in full sun; the soil is rather dry, but permeable and humic.
- Work in some compost and/or a handful of horn shavings (€32.93).
- Rake the area smooth and crumble up coarser clods of earth.
- Sow the seed and only lightly cover it with a fine soil-sand mixture.
- Keep the substrate slightly moist.
Basically, you can save yourself these steps, because the plant willingly sows itself. Sowing in the pot is done in the same way as described.
Hibernation carnations outside
Confectionary carnations are considered frost hardy and can therefore overwinter outside without special protection. But be careful: the otherwise easy-care plant does not tolerate winter wetness at all.
tips
There are also carnations with differently colored flowers. The "Alba" variety, for example, has white flowers, while "Blushing Bride" has white flowers with a pink eye.