Dianthus pyrenaicus

Perennial of the Caryophyllaceae family, Dianthus pyrenaicus is an endemic species of the Pyrenees and the north of the Iberian Peninsula, where it colonizes the fissures of limestone cliffs, rocky ledges, and shaded to semi-shaded walls, generally between 500 and 1,800 meters altitude.

It is distinguished from other Pyrenean pinks by its distinctly chasmophytic behavior: the plant settles in the smallest cracks in the rock, developing loose tufts with slender and diffuse stems, hanging or spreading over the wall, naturally conforming to the relief of the cliff. The foliage is fine, linear, discreet. The flowers, small, bright pink to lilac pink, with slightly or moderately fringed petals, are borne in numbers on filiform stems that spread over the rock like a light network.

In its natural habitat, its flowering extends from June to August depending on altitude and exposure.

In cultivation, it requires perfect drainage, a sunny to semi-shaded exposure, and adapts very well to planting in a wall or vertical rock face, its preferred habitat. A calcareous, lean, and very well-drained substrate suits it perfectly.