The beautiful, hearty carnation which is often referred to by its scientific name, “Dianthus” is one of the most popular flowers around.  This is not only because they are so pretty but because they are available in so many colors.  Did you know that the founder of the Mother’s Day holiday (Miss Anna Jarvis) chose carnations as the flower for her first Mother’s Day celebration?  They were her mother’s favorite and the tradition continues since then.

The Dianthus was named by Theophrastus, a Greek botanist.  The name derives  from the two Greek words, “dios” and “anthos.”  The “dios” refers to the Greek god Zeus and the “anthos” means flower.  This is why the Carnation is known as “The Flower of God.”

Want to be carnation wise?  Here is some of the scientific information you can use to wow others with your knowledge of the bud.

The Carnation’s 

• Kingdom is Plantae
• Division is Magnoliophyta
• Class is Magnoliopsidano
• Order is Caryophyllales
• Family is Caryophyllaceae
• Genus is Dianthus

Generally speaking, the carnation stands for a woman’s love or fascination.  Still, before sending or giving a carnation you really ought to know their meaning so that your sentiment is not misunderstood.  Carnations come in so many colors and each one has a different meaning.  Here are some of the more common colors and their meanings.

• The Pink Carnation means ‘Mother’s Love.’
• The Light Red Carnation means ‘Admiration.’
• The Dark Red Carnation means ‘Deep Love and a Woman’s Affection.’
• The White Carnation stands for ‘Pure Love and Good Luck.’
• A Striped Carnation indicates ‘Regret or Refusal.’r
• The Green Carnation is for St. Patrick’s Day
• The Purple Carnation means ‘Capriciousness.’
• The Yellow Carnation signifies ‘Disappointment or Dejection.’

Are you interested in growing carnations?  Here is some carnation care advice you should heed.

• Carnation plants should be kept moist and they need at least a few hours of full sun every day.
• Over-watering may cause the foliage to turn yellow.
• Once a flower is spent it should be removed immediately in order to promote continued blooming.
• For better blooms, pay attention to your soil and irrigation process.
• Learn about pinching, stopping and disbudding which are all important when growing carnations.
• Leave three or four nodes at the base when plucking carnations.
• Remove the stem when you pluck carnations.
• Carnation foliage should never be exposed to direct heat either from the sun or from a stove.

Carnation Trivia just for fun!

• Carnations are native to the Eurasia continents.
• In general, a carnation expresses love, fascination and distinction–i.e. boutonnieres, mother’s day.
• The carnation was used first by the Greeks and Romans in their garlands.
• Carnation blooms last a long time even after having been cut.
• Carnations are grown as a flower crop in Australia since 1954 even though they are exotic to the continent.