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Carnation Flowers Images, Historic Facts and Symbolism

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Memory of Carnation flowers in my grandmother's garden

I remember walking through my grandmother's garden as a child. Carnations were edging flower and vegetable beds on both sides of the garden path. In spring they looked like a lacy carpet and I liked to slide my hand gently over them. Later on (in May, I think) Carnation plants became covered with pink blooms. And there was that unmistakable clove-like scent that is still so vivid in my memory that I could recognize it anywhere...

Photo courtesy of six28fifty

List of Contents

Carnation flowers images, history and symbolism

When is Mother's Day 2013
Carnation facts
History and symbolism of Carnation plant
Carnation flowers images

Carnation, Mother's Day flower

Countdown to Mother's Day 2013

Mother's Day 2013: May 12, 2013

Carnation facts

In many sources, Carnations are described as delicate, durable, and delightful - all in one flowering plant, appreciated for its ruffled appearance, clove-like scent, and long blooming period.

Photo courtesy of Parvin %u2663

Dianthus flower facts

Carnation's scientific name Dianthus caryophyllus roughly translates to "flower of love" or "flower of the gods"
Still today in many parts of the world, the popularity of Dianthus surpasses that of any other flower, including roses
Carnations are a favorite flower choice for all kinds of different occasions. They stay fresh long, are easily recognized as classical beauties, and carry powerful sentiments.
Dianthus flowers are traditionally worn on Mother's Day, Teacher's Day, St. Patrick's Day and at the weddings
Scarlet carnation is the state flower of Ohio in honor of William McKinley, Ohio Governor and U.S. President, who was assassinated in 1901. He regularly wore a scarlet carnation on his lapel.
Carnation is also the national flower of Slovenia, Spain, and the provincial flower of the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands.
Sweetly fragrant Dianthus flower is the January birth flower
And the 1st wedding anniversary flower is (you guessed!) carnation
White carnations are the official flower of the fraternities Delta Chi, Delta Sigma Phi, Phi Beta Sigma, and Zeta Psi, and the sorority Chi Omega.
Rose carnations are the official flower of the Phi Mu Fraternity.
Red carnation is the official flower of Sigma Lambda Beta, Phi Kappa Tau, Tau Kappa Epsilon, Theta Chi fraternities, the national professional chemistry fraternity Alpha Chi Sigma, the national honorary fraternity for college bandmembers Kappa Kappa Psi, and of the Eta Phi Beta and Alpha Chi Omega sororities.
As the longest lasting flowers, pink carnations are the official flower of the Gamma Phi Beta sorority.
Blue/violet/purple carnation can't occur by natural selection or be created by traditional plant breeding. Around 1996 a genetic manipulation was used to extract certain genes from petunia and snapdragon flowers to produce the first blue-mauve carnation.

History and symbolism of Carnation plant

In the early times Carnation plants were found mainly in shades of light pink and peach color. Gradually, over the years the palette of Dianthus colors has expanded to include white, yellow, red, purple and even green. The popularity of Carnation plant has remained undiminished and still has a vast appeal nowadays.

Photo courtesy of leona264

History and symbolism

Dianthus plant is one of the world's oldest cultivated flowers. It dates back 2000 years and more.
In ancient Greek and Roman times, carnations were often used in art and décor. Greeks also used it in their ceremonial crowns.
Christians believe that the first carnation started blooming on earth when Mary wept for Jesus as he carried his cross
In U.S. Carnation flowers became an official flower of Mother's Day - in the early part of 20th century, They were handed out at the first Mother's Day service in 1908.
Carnation was the flesh-pink colour Elizabethan portrait painters used as a background wash.
In Canada on mothering Sunday one would wear a red carnation flower if your mother was alive and a white flower if your mother had died.
There is a story that the Dianthus scent was bred out of florist carnations at the request of funeral directors - to avoid people being overcome by the smell and fainting at funeral services.
In Korea, red and pink Carnations are worn for showing love and appreciation for parents on Parents Day on May 8.
Red carnations are worn on May Day (Labor Day) as a symbol of the labor movement in some European countries, such as Austria, Italy and successor countries of former Yugoslavia.
Green carnations are traditional for St. Patrick's Day. They were famously worn by the Irish writer Oscar Wilde. The green carnation thence became a symbol of homosexuality in the early 20th century.
At Oxford University, carnations are traditionally worn to all examinations: white for the first exam, pink for exams in between and a red for the last exam.
Red carnation is the symbol of the Portuguese Carnation Revolution.

Carnation colors symbolize...

Photo courtesy of Kirsten M Lentoft

The meanings that carnation flowers traditionally carry are: love, distinction, health and energy, and fascination.

With different shades of Dianthus flowers, different messages can be expressed by the giver.

Light red carnations are carrying the message of admiration, friendship, pride, respect
Dark red carnations are telling the wordless story of love and affection, my heart aches for you, passion
White carnations are synonyms for purity and luck, innocence, pure love, sweet and lovely, faithfulness
Pink carnations are a symbol of appreciation and mother's undying love, woman's love, always on my mind or saying I'll never forget you, perfect happiness
Purple carnations suggest unpredictability, whimsical, changeable. In France, it is a traditional funeral flower, given in condolence for the death of a loved one.
Green carnations are worn on St. Patrick's Day
Yellow carnations - disappointment, rejection, disdain
Solid color carnations are saying yes
Striped carnations mean refusal, no, refusal, sorry I can't be with you, wish I could be with you
Mauve carnations reveal dreams of fantasy