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| − | {{redirect|Sweet william|the folk song sometimes known by that name|Lord William}}
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| | |image = Dianthus barbatus flowers 01.jpg | | |image = Dianthus barbatus flowers 01.jpg |
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| − | '''''Dianthus barbatus''''' ('''Sweet William''') <ref>[http://www.thompson-morgan.com/flowers/flower-plants/perennial-and-biennial-plants/sweet-william-sweet/t47479TM [[Thompson and Morgan]] plant catalog spelling - '''Sweet William''']</ref> is a species of ''[[Dianthus]]'' native to southern Europe and parts of Asia which has become a popular ornamental garden plant. It is a [[herbaceous]] [[biennial plant|biennial]] or short-lived [[perennial plant]] growing to 13–92 cm tall, with flowers in a dense cluster of up to 30 at the top of the stems. Each flower is 2–3 cm diameter with five petals displaying serrated edges. Wild plants produce red flowers with a white base, but colours in cultivars range from white, pink, red, and purple to variegated patterns. The exact origin of its English common name is unknown but first appears in 1596 in botanist [[John Gerard]]'s garden catalogue. The flowers are edible and may have medicinal properties.{{Citation needed|date=August 2012}} Sweet William attracts bees, birds, and butterflies.
| + | ==References== |
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| − | == Description ==
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| − | Sweet William is a [[Herbaceous plant|herbaceous]] biennial or short-lived [[perennial plant]] native to the mountains of southern [[Europe]] from the [[Pyrenees]] east to the [[Carpathian Mountains|Carpathians]] and the [[Balkans]], with a variety disjunct in northeastern [[China]], [[Korea]], and southeasternmost [[Russia]].<ref name=fe>Flora Europaea: [http://rbg-web2.rbge.org.uk/cgi-bin/nph-readbtree.pl/feout?FAMILY_XREF=&GENUS_XREF=Dianthus&SPECIES_XREF=barbatus&TAXON_NAME_XREF=&RANK= ''Dianthus barbatus'']</ref><ref name=mc>Med-Checklist: [http://ww2.bgbm.org/mcl/PTaxonDetail.asp?NameId=4977&PTRefFk=1273 ''Dianthus barbatus'']</ref><ref name=foc>Flora of China: [http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=242000504 ''Dianthus barbatus'' var. ''asiaticus'']</ref> It grows to 13–92 cm tall (depending on the variety),<ref name=sf>[http://homeguides.sfgate.com/types-sweet-william-flowers-65838.html Types of Sweet William Flowers]</ref> with green to glaucous blue-green tapered [[leaf|leaves]] 4–10 cm long and 1–2 cm broad. The [[flower]]s are produced in a dense cluster of up to 30 at the top of the stems (known as a umbel) and have a spicy, clove-like scent; each flower is 2–3 cm diameter with five petals with serrated edges; in wild plants the petals are red with a white base.<ref name=foc/><ref name=blamey>Blamey, M. & Grey-Wilson, C. (1989). ''Flora of Britain and Northern Europe''. {{ISBN|0-340-40170-2}}</ref><ref name=rhs>Huxley, A., ed. (1992). ''New RHS Dictionary of Gardening''. Macmillan {{ISBN|0-333-47494-5}}.</ref>
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| − | There are two [[variety (biology)|varieties]]:<ref name=foc/>
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| − | *''Dianthus barbatus'' var. ''barbatus''. Southern Europe. Leaves broader, up to 2 cm broad.
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| − | *''Dianthus barbatus'' var. ''asiaticus'' Nakai. Northeastern Asia. Leaves slenderer, not over 1 cm broad.
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| − | == English name ==
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| − | [[File:Gerard John 1545-1612.jpg|thumb|right|150 px|John Gerard]]
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| − | Many legends purport to explain how Sweet William acquired its English common name, but none is verified. "Sweet William" is often said to honour the 18th century [[Prince William, Duke of Cumberland]]. As a result of the Duke's victory at the [[Battle of Culloden]] and his generally brutal treatment of the king's enemies, it is also claimed that the Scots sometimes call the flower "Stinking Billy".<ref name=meyer>Meyer, D. (1987). "The Highland Scots of North Carolina, 1732-1776", p.14. Univ. N. Carolina Press</ref><ref name=hairr>Hairr, J. (2002). "Harnett County: A History", pp23-24. Arcadia Publishing</ref><ref name=ross>Ross, DR. (2001). "On the Trail of Bonnie Prince Charlie", p.112. Dundurn Press</ref> Though this makes a nice story, it is entirely untrue. The Scots sometimes refer to the noxious ragwort,{{which|date=November 2014}} as "Stinking Billy" in memory of the infamous Duke. Phillips speculated that the flower was named after Gerard's contemporary, [[William Shakespeare]].<ref name=phillips>Phillips, H. (1829). "Flora Historica", p.43. E. Lloyd & Son</ref> It is also said to be named after [[Saint William of York]] or after [[William the Conqueror]]. Another [[etymology|etymological]] derivation is that ''william'' is a corruption of the French ''oeillet'', meaning both "carnation" and "little eye". Sweet William is a favourite name for lovelorn young men in English folkloric ballads, e.g., "[[Fair Margaret and Sweet William]]."
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| − | ==Cultivation and uses==
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| − | {{refimprove section|date=September 2011}}
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| − | {{stereo image
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| − | |image = Swillaf.jpg
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| − | |caption = '''Sweet William seeds'''
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| − | |width = 450
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| − | |height = 185
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| − | Sweet William is a popular [[ornamental plant]] in gardens, with numerous [[cultivar]]s and [[hybrid (biology)|hybrid]]s selected for differing flower colour, ranging from white, pink, red, and purple to variegated patterns.<ref name=rhs/>
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| − | The plant was introduced to northern Europe in the 16th century, and later to North America and elsewhere, and has become locally to widely [[naturalisation (biology)|naturalised]] in these areas.<ref name=blamey/><ref name=missouriplants>Missouriplants: [http://www.missouriplants.com/Redopp/Dianthus_barbatus_page.html ''Dianthus barbatus'']</ref>
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| − | John Gerard praises its beauty but omits any reference to medicinal uses. Its height makes it convenient for flower arrangements. In the Victorian [[language of flowers]], sweet william symbolizes gallantry. The plant is widely used in borders, rock gardens and informal country cottage style gardens. Sweet William is a good candidate for a naturalistic garden because its nectar attracts birds, bees, and butterflies. Its flowers are considered [[list of edible flowers|edible]].
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| − | It thrives in loamy, slightly alkaline soil with sun to partial shade. Propagation is by seed, cuttings, or division, but seeds of cultivars will not breed true. If it is planted from seed after the last frost, it will flower in the second year. If it is planted in flats before the last frost and then transplanted, it may flower in the first year. Some gardeners recommend [[Deadheading (flowers)|deadheading]] to encourage further flowering. The plant is self-seeding. Sweet William can suffer from Fusarium Wilt which causes the leaves to curl or droop down.
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| − | In 1977 the question of possible medical uses was revisited by Cordell. [[Saponin]]s were found in Sweet William, but there has been little follow-up.
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| − | At the [[wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton]] on 29 April 2011, Catherine Middleton included Sweet William in her bouquet, a tribute to her bridegroom.
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| − | ==Gallery==
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| − | <gallery>
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| − | File:Pink Sweet William flowers.jpg|Pink Sweet William
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| − | File:June Summer Flowers.jpg|Different colours
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| − | File:Bund Bartnelken.JPG|More colours
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| − | File:Bartnelke 2008.jpg
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| − | File:Dianthus barbatus1.jpg
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| − | File:Dianthus barbatus flowers 03.jpg|Double Sweet William
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| − | File:Dianthus barbatus 1.JPG|Potted plant ''D. barbatus''
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| − | File:Sweet William Dianthus barbatus 'Heart Attack' Closeup 2816px.jpg|'Heart Attack' flower cluster closeup
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| − | File:Sweet William-Dianthus barbatus Bud.JPG|Flower bud of sweet william
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| − | File:Dianthus barbatus 2.jpg|Full-grown plants
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| − | File:Sweet William-Dianthus barbatus (5).JPG|Dianthus barbatus in full bloom
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| − | File:Sweet William-Dianthus barbatus (6).JPG|Dark pink cultivar of Dianthus barbatus
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| − | File:Sweet William-Dianthus barbatus (7).JPG|Pink sweet william with white halo
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| − | File:Sweet William-Dianthus barbatus (8).JPG|White sweet william with tinge of pink
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| − | </gallery>
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| − | ==References==<!-- BiolConserv137:248. --> | |
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| | {{Reflist}} | | {{Reflist}} |
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| − | ==External links==
| + | [[Category:Caryophyllaceae]] |
| − | {{wiktionary}}
| + | [[Category:Plants for Keenan to eat]] |
| − | {{commons category|Dianthus barbatus}}
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| − | {{Taxonbar|from=Q161745}}
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| − | [[Category:Dianthus|barbatus]]
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| − | [[Category:Palearctic flora]]
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| − | [[Category:Flora of Western Asia]]
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| − | [[Category:Flora of the Pyrenees]]
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| − | [[Category:Biennial plants]]
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| − | [[Category:Medicinal plants of Asia]]
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| − | [[Category:Garden plants of Europe]]
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| − | [[Category:Medicinal plants of Europe]] | |
| − | [[Category:Plants described in 1753]] | |
