Caryophyllaceae

Dianthus armeria

Deptford Pink

Basal rosette of leaves, erect flower stem. Leaves opposite, narrowly oblong, with rounded tips. Inflorescence consists of dense heads of few to many small flowers with linear bracts extending beyond flowers. Flower petals pink with small white dots, toothed; calyx 1/2–1 in., hairy. A garden escapee that grows in disturbed soils at low to mid elevations. Often confused with Centaurium erythraea in the gentian family, which is about the same size and shade of pink but without dots on petals.

• Rarity: Common
• Flowering Time: All Summer
• Life Cycle: Annual, Biennial
• Height: 6--16 inches
• Habitat: Meadow, Disturbed
• Found In: Olympic Np, Mt. Rainier Np, West Gorge, N Cascades Np
• Native: No