New Dianthus Offers a Jolt to Landscape Displays

Posted by Brian Sparks|October 2, 2019

‘Jolt’ dianthus

Ornamental growers in the Southeast looking for something to add a spark to their offerings this fall can look no further than a popular dianthus.

The Louisiana State University (LSU) AgCenter has selected ‘Jolt’ dianthus (Dianthus barbatus interspecific) as a 2019 fall Louisiana Super Plant. This cool-season bedding plant is great for full sun to partial sun exposure. ‘Jolt’ has an upright and mounding growth habit, with plants growing 16 to 18 inches tall with a 12-to-14-inch spread. It is an excellent bloomer for landscapes this fall, and its gorgeous blooms should last from October to May.

Some of the best cool-season bedding plants available in Louisiana are interspecific dianthus, and the ‘Jolt’ series is no exception. It offers a more compact interspecific dianthus when compared to ‘Amazon’ dianthus (also named a Louisiana Super Plant in 2010). ‘Jolt’ dianthus will continue to bloom and look good well into early summer when other dianthus throw in the towel, giving an extra push to carry landscapes into the warm season.

AgCenter trials at the Hammond Research Station have found ‘Jolt’ tolerates the heat better than most interspecific dianthus, and it is an easy-care plant with minimal maintenance needs. It is a very reliable performer in all areas of Louisiana.