I agree.

Hi Donna and Floral,

Thanks so much. I did order Sweet William and other Dianthus from Parkseed. The others are blooming now (below) and the leaves look totally different. That's why I think the unknown one may be weeds. Now I will wait for blooming. I feel so "Sweet". Thanks. :)

Whatever it is, it looks ill, but IDK if it would be a disease or was exposed to something like weed'n'feed, or like it has a pest, like thrips maybe.

The second picture shows Dianthus chinensis, not Dianthus barbatus, that is why the leaves look different. I am pretty sure your first plants are D barbatus and not weeds. D barbatues is biennial so don't expect flowers before next year. You may get some earlier but don't bank on it.

Yes, I could see they are not the same Dianthus, but the leaves of the top pic don't look normal, compared to the other leaves attached to the same plant, beyond the kind of difference one might expect from basal vs. taller-growth leaves. The growth point leaves in the center look strangely curled, smaller, more yellow, puckered. But if nobody else thinks so, I'm happy to be wrong!

I think it's ill too. It's small and weak, just cannot do anything.

Maybe it was stepped on a few weeks ago?

It's in an 8 inches pot. I think it's ill or too dry.

Hi Tiffany - I was responding to chipeony saying s/he thought it was a weed because it looked different. I agree that the Sweet William looks a bit ratty and possibly damaged. But their foliage is not their best feature anyway so I wouldn't worry about it. Especially as it isn't going to do its thing for a year. Being in a pot could explain it. I'd get it out into the ground asap. It needs more room and more consistent moisture.

TY, Flora. :) Sounds like a good plan.

Guess nobody stepped on it (in a pot!) That was a great suggestion though...

Looks like calendula to me. The leaves on mine this year looked just like yours.

I agree there is some superficial similarity with Calendula. However, the growth habit, veination, leaf margins and leaf texture are consistent with Dianthus barbatus. The smell would also differentiate the two if the OP is still around to try it.