Other Names:  Perennial Sweet William

Group/Class:  Barbarini Series

Brand:  Syngenta Flowers

Description:

Deliciously clove-scented, velvety frilly dark red flowers with white edges; optimal site has full sun with ample moisture; amend clay soils for best growth; seeds freely but divide for truest color

Ornamental Features

Barbarini® Red Picotee Sweet William is blanketed in stunning fragrant dark red flat-top frilly flowers with white edges at the ends of the stems from late spring to late summer. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its tomentose pointy leaves remain dark green in colour throughout the season.

Landscape Attributes

Barbarini® Red Picotee Sweet William is an herbaceous perennial with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage.

This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep. Trim off the flower heads after they fade and die to encourage more blooms late into the season. It is a good choice for attracting bees to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Self-Seeding

Barbarini® Red Picotee Sweet William is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Rock/Alpine Gardens
• Border Edging
• General Garden Use

Planting & Growing

Barbarini® Red Picotee Sweet William will grow to be only 6 inches tall at maturity extending to 8 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 12 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 8 inches apart. Its foliage tends to remain low and dense right to the ground. It grows at a medium rate, and tends to be biennial, meaning that it puts on vegetative growth the first year, flowers the second, and then dies. However, this species tends to self-seed and will thereby endure for years in the garden if allowed. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!

This plant should only be grown in full sunlight. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.