15 Stunning Carnations That Will Brighten Your Home

While you've probably seen plenty of cut carnations in vases and bouquets before, did you know they're also a super easy plant to grow in your home? These herbaceous perennials are of hearty stock and come in a variety of colors and shapes, ranging from vibrant reds to deep violets. Carnations are broken up into three major groups, according to Truly – standard or large-flowered, miniature or spray, and mini carnations. 

Many folks feel intimidated by the prospect of growing flowers in their home and often opt for succulents and cacti due to their low maintenance and stunning shapes. But having a vibrant pot of flowers on the kitchen counter or in the living room can be an instant mood booster. Carnations are easy to grow and brilliant flowers with as much variety between shapes and sizes as colors. Learn about the wonderfully diverse Dianthus species and get ready to start planting.

One of the most popular blossoms found in many gardens, the cottage pink (Dianthus plumarius) is sort of the model single flower carnation variety. They are also known as Pheasant's Eye Pink, Feathered Pink, and Scotch Pink. They need plenty of circulation, says Jersey Yards, so consider putting them in a rock-laden flower pot for air and drainage. Additionally, they need full sun exposure and well-drained slightly alkaline to neutral soil. The flowers bloom from spring to mid-summer and have a spicy, sweet fragrance. 

Directly related to the Chinese Pink carnation, Black Velvet and Lace (Dianthus chinensis heddewigii) are beloved for their deep red, nearly black petals and delicate white fringe. As a biennial plant, this flower takes two full years to complete its life cycle from seed to flowering but is well worth the wait. Thompson Morgan also notes their tantalizing sweet scent, making this a great indoor plant. It requires full sun exposure and rich, well-drained neutral to alkaline soil. 

The Fringed Pink (Dianthus superbus) is an out-of-this-world-looking carnation, most noted for its feather-like fringed petals. It can be found in much of Northern Europe and parts of Northern Asia, says First Nature, generally blooming in the summer. These are popular for cottage gardens thanks to their hardiness. They thrive in well-drained slightly alkaline soil with full sun exposure. Missouri Botanical Garden recommends frequent clipping of blossoms at the end of their life cycle to prolong the bloom season. 

Blossoming in summer and early fall, the Sequier's pink (Dianthus seguieri), or Ragged pink, is a feathery carnation that grows natively in southern Europe and in high-altitude meadows, says iNaturalist, meaning it can likely do well in dry-arid climates. Seguieri is a name chosen to honor the 18th-century French botanist Jean-François Séguier.  Opt for well-draining potting soil and keep your Sequier's pink in full sunlight to help this rosy dianthus thrive indoors. 

While the northern pink, or boreal carnation (Dianthus repens), may look nearly identical to the Sequier's pink (Dianthus seguieri), the two actually grow natively in completely different climates. As its common name indicates, the northern pink grows in some of the coldest northernmost places, like Alaska and the Yukon, as well as Inner Mongolia and Siberia, as per iNaturalist. That's just how hardy this breed is. To keep boreal carnations in your home, make sure they are exposed to full sun and planted in slightly acidic sandy or clay loam.

The Maiden Pink carnation (Dianthus deltoides) is a resilient, low-maintenance flower that is highly drought-resistant, requiring very little water, says Nature and Garden. Deltoides comes from the Greek symbol for Delta and was given to the Maiden Pink for its tapered petals. Good drainage is essential to keeping this plant happy. Additionally, it should be planted in a pot with neutral to alkaline soil and with full sun exposure. Otherwise, the plant becomes susceptible to rot and disease, so be careful not to over-water. 

Commonly called the Peacock-eye Pink (Dianthus pavonius), this slender growing single-flower carnation grows from evergreen, lush grass-like stems, according to iNaturalist. Thanks to the evergreen stems, like many carnation varieties, you won't have to trim these down in the fall or winter. The petals come in many shades of pink, from pale blush to fiery fuchsia, and have serrated edges. Grow these in normal-to-acidic or sandy soil and give them full sun exposure to keep the blossoms happy.