"Can I touch it?"
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.
Freshly picked dianthus
Growing Needs
Dianthus likes warm, temperate weather. However, too much heat will kill it, so dianthus growers need to maintain a perfect balance of light and shade, warm and cool. During summertime, shade cloth is often used, and during winter, they go into hoop houses with plastic coverings to keep the warmth in.
It takes an average of 10-12 weeks from planting until the beginning of harvest, but one can usually 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.
Dianthus ready to be picked
These excellent cut flowers look great in table arrangements and do well accenting other colors. They are easy to incorporate, and they introduce a unique shape, color, and texture to any arrangement. In addition, the lush blooms are incredibly long-lasting (up to 4 weeks!). Mix them into woodsy, whimsical, rustic arrangements or pair them with elegant callas, hydrangeas, and lisianthus for an elegant feel.
Add another level to your floral creativity with the versatile and verdant "flower of the gods," Dianthus!