Dianthus deltoides subsp. deltoides
Maiden pink, meadow pink, Meadow Pink
Family: Caryophyllaceae · Type: perennial · Not Native
Maiden pink is a naturalized perennial herb found in the northern Sierra Nevada, San Joaquin Valley, and Modoc Plateau in wet meadows and disturbed areas at elevations below 2,500 meters. Flowering in early summer, this plant produces deep pink flowers with a darker zigzag band near the base, typically 4 to 9 millimeters wide. Growing 18 to 40 centimeters tall with slender rhizomes, it develops erect stems with distinctive linear to lance-linear leaves. Its basal leaves are oblanceolate, while stem leaves remain narrow and linear, creating a delicate architectural structure. The plant features a tubular calyx 1.3 to 1.7 centimeters long with 25 to 30 prominent ribs and linear to triangular lobes.
Habitat: Wet meadows, disturbed areas
Bloom period: Early summer
Elevation: < 2500 m
Bioregions: CaRH, n&s SNH, SnJV, MP
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.