Carnation

The History of Carnations

Let’s pause for a minute and really think about this next carnation fact. Ready?

Let’s do it.

Carnations have been in cultivation for over 2,000 years.

So that means that during the time of the birth of Jesus,… farmers were cultivating carnations.

Wild, right?

Carnations originated in Eurasia and have historical usages throughout Greece and Rome. In fact, “Dianthus,” the botanical name for carnations, was coined by a Greek botanist and is derived from the Greek words for divine (“dios”) and flower (“anthos”). [3]

Over 300 species of Dianthus are known — more commonly known as carnations.

Carnations aren’t without their own fame and adoration. The carnation is the official state flower of Ohio, and the national flower of Spain, Monaco, and Slovenia. Carnations are also the birth flower for the month of January (Happy birthday, Capricorn and Aquarius!).

Carnations are often worn on special occasions and have become a symbol for many holidays and events over time.

• Mother’s Day (US and Canada) – White carnations (originally) were the chosen bloom to represent the purity of a mother’s love. Now, a red carnation is worn if one’s mother is alive, and a white carnation if she has passed.
• Parents’ Day (Korea) – Red and pink carnations are worn by parents [4] on May 8.
• May Day – Red carnations are worn as symbols of socialism and the labour movement in some countries.
• University of Oxford – White, pink, and red carnations are traditionally worn to exams.
• According to a Christian legend, carnations first appeared on Earth as Jesus carried the Cross. When the Virgin Mary wept over Jesus’ plight, carnations grew from where her tears fell.

With this epic history, it’s not surprising that carnations are unlikely to cause any allergic reactions. Carnation petals can even be used in candy or as cake decorations.

Carnations are also believed to have medicinal properties:

• Infusions and teas to ease nervousness and nausea
• Oils to promote healing of the skin

But be sure to keep carnations away from your furry friends — they can cause gastronomical distress to cats and dogs.

You’ll often find carnations in floral design because of their diversity of color, as well as their hardiness and widespread availability.

In fact, in 2013, carnations were ranked the 16th most popular cut flower, with a turnover of $37 million (compared with the top-ranked flower, roses, at $725 million), according to FloraHolland. That’s a lotta carnations!

The largest global carnation production is in Bogota, Colombia, and carnations are also commercially grown in Colorado, California, Israel, Kenya, and Spain. If you have a green thumb, carnations can also be grown in home gardens. Many gardeners use border carnations, which grow in bushy clusters and thrive in full sun, and typically bloom between June and September, depending on the variety. (Trying to send a message to your neighbors? Plant all yellow!)

Carnations have appeared in famous artwork for centuries. In 1563, the earliest known full-length portrait of Queen Elizabeth I [5] actually featured a carnation in her hand. At that time, the carnation represented the love of God, but also love and marriage. (Did we mention Queen Elizabeth was single at the time?)

Painter John Singer Sargent completed a work titled “Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose” [6] in 1886, titled after a song called “The Wreath” by 18th-century composer Joseph Mazzinghi.

Because of their association with the Virgin Mary, many Christian artworks also feature carnations.

Ready for some science?

Carnations are herbaceous perennial plants of the genus Dianthus, that have glaucous leaves, and produce single buds or up to five together in a cyme.

It’s okay; we didn’t understand that sentence the first time either. To put it simply, a carnation is a plant that grows and blooms in the spring and summer, dies back in the autumn and winter, and then regrows the following spring from the same set of roots. Amazing! Its leaves are greyish-green to blue-green (impress your friends: glaucous is from the Latin glaucus, meaning “bluish-grey or green”, from the Greek glaukós). It can either grow as a single flower on a single stem, or as a cluster of flowers, depending on the variety.

Easy, right?

Standard carnations grow on a single stem and are typically 3—5 cm in diameter, while mini-carnation varieties include multiple smaller blooms per stem.

They can be grown from seed or cuttings. To successfully grow carnations from a cutting, you’ll need to cut a live stem (at least 4″ long) from a healthy carnation plant. Make your cut right below a leaf node, and remove the leaves from the bottom half of the stem. Fill a container with coarse sand, push the stem about halfway into the container, and make sure the sand stays moist, and the stem gets consistent indirect sunlight. Then, wait for the magic to happen. Your stem will eventually grow new roots and a fresh flower.

If cared for properly, cut carnations can live for two or more weeks.

For maximum longevity, carnations should be conditioned every two to three days. But don’t reach for the Tres Semme. To condition carnations, replace the water in the vase and recut the stems with a sharp knife or shears at a 45-degree angle so that they can absorb more water.

If you have cut-flower food, add it to the vase each time you change the water. If you don’t have cut-flower food, you can add a solution of one teaspoon of sugar and two drops of liquid bleach [8] to the clean water in your vase. Please note, this is good food for flowers only!