Practical
Plants

Dianthus chinensis

Chinese Pink

a perennial member of the Dianthus genus in the family Caryophyllaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Height
0.7 m
Fertility
Bees, Lepidoptera
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Bees, Lepidoptera

Uses

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The Chinese pink has been used for over 2,000 years in Chinese herbal medicine[4]. The whole plant is a bitter tonic herb that stimulates the digestive and urinary systems and also the bowels[4]. It is also anthelmintic, antibacterial, antiphlogistic, diaphoretic, diuretic, emmenagogue, febrifuge and haemostatic[3][4][6]. It is used internally in the treatment of acute urinary tract infections (especially cystitis), urinary stones, constipation and failure to menstruate[4]. It is used externally to treat skin inflammations and swellings[4]. The old leaves are crushed and used for clearing the eyesight[3]. The plants are harvested just before the flowers open and are dried for later use[4].

Product or use
Anthelmintic
Product or use
Antibacterial
Product or use
Antiphlogistic
Product or use
Diaphoretic
Product or use
Diuretic
Product or use
Emmenagogue
Product or use
Febrifuge
Product or use
Haemostatic
Product or use
Ophthalmic
Product or use
Tonic

Environment

Range
E. Asia - China.
Habitat
A wide variety of habitats including sandy forest margins, dry hillsides and summits, forest and hillside grasslands, scrub on mountain slopes, rocky ravines, meadows and streamsides[5].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 7+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - sow May/June in a cold frame. The seed usually germinates in 2 - 3 weeks. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer or autumn[1]. The seed can also be sown thinly in an outdoor seedbed in late spring, the young plants being planted out in late spring or the autumn1]. Cuttings of half-ripe shoots, July in a frame[1]. Division in September[1]. Larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the spring.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Prefers a rich well-drained loamy neutral to alkaline soil in a sunny position[1][4], but succeeds in most soils including dry ones[1]. A very ornamental plant[1], it is usually biennial in habit, but can be a short-lived perennial. There are many cultivars that are widely grown in gardens. Since these flower freely in their first year and then degenerate, they are usually treated as annuals[2]. A very variable species in the wild, it has often been subdivided into up to eight different varieties[5].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6

  2. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩

  3. Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-917256-20-4

    ↩1↩2

  4. Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7

  5. Flora of China 1994-00-00 http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/

    ↩1↩2

  6. Medicinal Plants in the Republic of Korea World Health Organisation, Manila 1998-00-00 ISBN 92 9061 120 0

    ↩

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