Dianthus armeria Deptford Pink

Dianthus armeria©Phil Wilson/Plantlife

This plant has beautiful cerise flowers, often in clusters resembling a small garden Sweet William, on top of a greyish-coloured stem. It grows in tracks or hedgerows around fields, and sometimes in dry pastures, but always prefers disturbed ground. Its numbers have declined dramatically in the last 60 years, and it is now only found at about 15 sites in England’s southern counties. Agricultural changes are the main cause of its decline, and its main threats are still conversion of pasture to arable land, loss of grazing allowing smothering by coarse plants, and loss of hedgerows.

Classified as Endangered, it is considered to be facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild. In addition it is protected under Schedule 8 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.