Plant Details

Dianthus barbatus

Sweet William

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Common names

34 names · 26 languages
EnglishYour language
Other languages (25)
Dutch
  • Duidendschoon
  • duizendschoon[2]
French
  • Oeillet de Girardin[2]
  • Oeillet de poète
  • Œillet barbu[2]
Belarusian
  • Гваздзік барадаты[2]
Chinese (Simplified)
  • 须苞石竹[2]
Chinese (Traditional)
  • 亞美尼亞瞿麥[2]
  • 鬚苞石竹[2]
Czech
  • hvozdík vousatý[2]
Danish
  • Studenter-nellike[2]
Estonian
Finnish
  • harjaneilikka[2]
German
Hungarian
  • török szegfű[2]
Italian
  • Garofano montano[2]
Japanese
  • アメリカナデシコ[2]
Korean
  • 수염패랭이꽃[2]
Latvian
  • klinšu noraga[2]
  • čemuru neļķe[2]
Lithuanian
  • Šiurpinis gvazdikas[2]
Norwegian
  • busknellik[2]
Polish
  • Goździk brodaty[2]
Russian
  • Гвоздика бородатая[2]
  • Гвоздика турецкая[2]
Slovak
  • klinček bradatý[2]
Slovenian
  • brkati klinček[2]
Spanish
Swedish
  • borstnejlika[2]
Turkish
  • hüsnüyusuf[2]
Ukrainian
  • Гвоздика турецька[2]
Sources & name notes (2)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Dianthus barbatus L. ↗

Common names from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20. License: CC BY.

Source records
  • Bart-Nelke (DE) — VernacularName.tsv, line 149449; taxon 6CPY4.
  • Sweet-William (EN) — VernacularName.tsv, line 149450; taxon 6CPY4.
[2] Dianthus barbatus — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • Sweet-William — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 60015; Dianthus barbatus.
  • Clavel — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 60015; Dianthus barbatus.
  • Sweet William — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 60015; Dianthus barbatus.
  • Œillet barbu — results[0].names[5]; taxon id 60015; Dianthus barbatus.
  • harjaneilikka — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 60015; Dianthus barbatus.
  • Oeillet de Girardin — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 60015; Dianthus barbatus.
  • hvozdík vousatý — results[0].names[8]; taxon id 60015; Dianthus barbatus.
  • duizendschoon — results[0].names[9]; taxon id 60015; Dianthus barbatus.
  • Šiurpinis gvazdikas — results[0].names[10]; taxon id 60015; Dianthus barbatus.
  • Studenter-nellike — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 60015; Dianthus barbatus.
  • busknellik — results[0].names[12]; taxon id 60015; Dianthus barbatus.
  • Гвоздика бородатая — results[0].names[13]; taxon id 60015; Dianthus barbatus.
  • Garofano montano — results[0].names[14]; taxon id 60015; Dianthus barbatus.
  • Bartnelke — results[0].names[15]; taxon id 60015; Dianthus barbatus.
  • Гвоздика турецкая — results[0].names[16]; taxon id 60015; Dianthus barbatus.
  • アメリカナデシコ — results[0].names[17]; taxon id 60015; Dianthus barbatus.
  • habenelk — results[0].names[18]; taxon id 60015; Dianthus barbatus.
  • borstnejlika — results[0].names[19]; taxon id 60015; Dianthus barbatus.
  • 须苞石竹 — results[0].names[20]; taxon id 60015; Dianthus barbatus.
  • 鬚苞石竹 — results[0].names[21]; taxon id 60015; Dianthus barbatus.
  • 亞美尼亞瞿麥 — results[0].names[22]; taxon id 60015; Dianthus barbatus.
  • Bart-Nelke — results[0].names[23]; taxon id 60015; Dianthus barbatus.
  • Гвоздика турецька — results[0].names[24]; taxon id 60015; Dianthus barbatus.
  • Гваздзік барадаты — results[0].names[25]; taxon id 60015; Dianthus barbatus.
  • brkati klinček — results[0].names[26]; taxon id 60015; Dianthus barbatus.
  • Goździk brodaty — results[0].names[27]; taxon id 60015; Dianthus barbatus.
  • török szegfű — results[0].names[28]; taxon id 60015; Dianthus barbatus.
  • hüsnüyusuf — results[0].names[29]; taxon id 60015; Dianthus barbatus.
  • klinček bradatý — results[0].names[30]; taxon id 60015; Dianthus barbatus.
  • čemuru neļķe — results[0].names[31]; taxon id 60015; Dianthus barbatus.
  • klinšu noraga — results[0].names[32]; taxon id 60015; Dianthus barbatus.
  • 수염패랭이꽃 — results[0].names[33]; taxon id 60015; Dianthus barbatus.

General information

Scientific name: Dianthus barbatus
Accepted name (Kew): Dianthus barbatus L. View name reference ↗

Accepted in the cited Kew taxonomic treatment.

Sources [1] [2]
Botanical family: Caryophyllaceae

Kew's family placement for the genus Dianthus (WCVP v16).

Sources [1]
Also known as: Sweet William
Images: Google Images

Plant characteristics

Layer: Herbaceous
Catalogue size class: Small
Height: 0.3–0.61 m

NC State landscape size range; converted from feet and inches. Size varies with site, age and management.

Sources [3]
Spread: 0.15–0.3 m

NC State landscape size range; converted from feet and inches. Size varies with site, age and management.

Sources [3]
Growth rate: Moderate
Sources [3]
Foliage: Deciduous
Growth habit: Dense, Erect, Rounded

Whole-plant habit and form as described by NC State.

Sources [3]
Life cycle: Annual, Biennial, Perennial
Sources [3]

Growing conditions

USDA hardiness: 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b

USDA zones listed by NC State; winter survival does not establish reliable cropping.

Sources [3]
Soil moisture:
Well-drained, Moist

Moisture and drainage conditions listed by NC State.

Sources [3]
Soil:
High Organic Matter, Loam (Silt), Sand
Sources [3]
pH:
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Sources [3]
Light:
Full sun, Partial Shade
Sources [3]

Uses

Edible parts:
Flowers
Edibility rating:
(1)
Medicinal rating:
(0)
Functions:
Fragrant

Description

The flowers have a subtle taste and are often used as decoration on vegetable and fruit salads, cakes, desserts, and in cold drinks.

Harvest

Harvest starts: 15/06
Harvest ends: 30/09

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16, extracted 4 June 2026
    Supports: Botanical familyTaxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Botanical family: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 773143; name ID 2763744; Dianthus L.. Family column.
    • Taxonomy: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 1372174; name ID 2763865; Dianthus barbatus L..

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.

  2. Catalogue of Life Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Dianthus barbatus

    Taxonomic data from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20.

    Supports: Taxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: COL 2026-08-20, NameUsage.tsv line 2067185, ID 6CPY4: Dianthus barbatus L. (accepted).

    Source checked on .

  3. NC State Extension, North Carolina State University Dianthus barbatus — Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
    Supports: HeightSpreadGrowth rateGrowth habitLife cycleLightSoil moistureSoil textureSoil pHUSDA hardiness
    Relevant sections
    • Height: Dimensions > Height; Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
    • Spread: Dimensions > Width; Width: 0 ft. 6 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.
    • Growth rate: Growth Rate
    • Growth habit: Habit/Form
    • Life cycle: Life Cycle
    • Light: Light
    • Soil moisture: Soil Drainage
    • Soil texture: Soil Texture
    • Soil pH: Soil pH
    • USDA hardiness: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

    Source checked on .