Deptford Pinks

Day 274: Deptford Pinks (Dianthus armeria) get a bad rap. Many sources refer to them as "invasive," although it is certainly not as aggressive as knapweed or butterfly bush or any of a number of others which are capable of establishing monocultures at the expense of native plants. In fact, the Deptford Pinks which came to me in a wildflower mix (yes, really) grow very sparingly in the Barren Wasteland between my house and garage. I probably shouldn't admit to this, but I have tried to encourage them in that space, however, they have not been particularly cooperative, unlike the Rudbeckia which would gleefully take over my entire yard if I didn't keep it under control. That said, this is the problem with many of the region-specific wildflower mixes offered by seed companies: they contain non-native species which may even be on an individual state's invasives list. California Poppies are a case in point. Almost all wildflower mixes tagged "Pacific Northwest" contain California Poppies which are considered invasive in Washington. As for Deptford Pinks, mine came to me in a generic seed packet offered as a bonus for purchasing some other product, and the packet also included California Poppies which I've successfully rooted out. The Pinks? They're behaving themselves, so they can stay.