Dianthus plumarius (common pink, "Tatsutanadeshiko")

Japanese name: タツタナデシコ （立田撫子、龍田撫子、竜田撫子）
Scientific name: Dianthus plumarius

[Overview]
A perennial 20–40 cm tall.
The stems become woody, creep along the ground, and form a dense mat.
The whole plant is covered with a whitish bloom and looks bluish green to grayish green.
Leaves are simple and opposite, linear, about 10 cm long and 0.3 cm wide, pointed at the tip, with the base clasping the stem.
Cymes at the stem tips bear sparse flowers.
The flowers are 5-petaled, about 3–5 cm across, and the petal tips are finely cut.
Flower colors include pink, deep pink and white, and there is usually a darker ring-shaped eye at the center.
There are 10 stamens.
The calyx tube is cylindrical, about 2 cm long, and usually has 2 pairs of epicalyx scales at the base.
The flowers have a faint fragrance.
The fruit is a cylindrical capsule.

[History]
It is said to have arrived in Japan at the end of the Meiji period, and it seems to have been called Tokonatsu until the early Showa period, but because it was confused with the Tokonatsu of the Sekichiku group, it seems to have been renamed Tokonadeshiko.
It has been deeply involved in the breeding of carnations and other plants.

[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed, by division, or by stem cuttings.
It prefers a sunny, airy site with well-drained soil.
Soil acidity should be neutral to slightly alkaline.
Keep it on the dry side; for potted plants, water thoroughly when the soil surface dries.
For plants in the ground, rainfall is sufficient.
Excess moisture causes root rot and disease.
In spring and autumn, apply slow-release fertilizer on the soil once a month.
When flowering is over, cut off the flower stalks and it will bloom again one after another.
Also, cutting it back before summer to improve ventilation makes it easier to get through the summer.
There are no particular pests or diseases.

[Notes]
"Tatsuta" is the name of an incense, and the name is said to have come from the fragrance of the flowers.

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