Dianthus barbatus (Sweet William) is a species of Dianthus (in the family Caryophyllaceae), native to southern Europe and parts of Asia which has become a popular ornamental garden plant. It is a herbaceous biennial or short-lived perennial plant growing to 13 - 92 cm tall, with green to glaucous blue-green tapered leaves 4–10 cm long and 1–2 cm broad. The flowers are produced in a dense cluster of up to 30 at the top of the stems and have a spicy, clove-like scent. Each flower is 2 - 3 cm in diameter with five petals displaying serrated edges. Wild plants produce red flowers with a white base, but colors in cultivars range from white, pink, red, and purple or with variegated patterns. The exact origins of its English common name is unknown, but first appears in 1596 in botanist John Gerard's garden catalog. The flowers are edible and may have medicinal properties. Sweet William attracts bees, birds, and butterflies.
The plant was introduced to northern Europe in the 16th century, and later to North America and elsewhere, and has become locally to widely naturalized in these areas.
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