Carnation History

by prestigeflowers

You are probably already familiar with the various traditions associated with Carnations.  In the United States, Anna Jarvis began the tradition of Mother’s Day and, along with it, the tradition of wearing the flower in order to honour one’s mother.  Pink Carnations were worn by those who were fortunate enough to still have their mothers in their lives.  White ones were worn by those who had lost their mothers but still wished to celebrate all they had done for them.  It wasn’t long before this lovely tradition spread to various parts of the globe and florists everywhere were enjoying increased flower sales around this time of year.  Today, shoppers choose various kinds of flowers to send for Mother’s Day but Carnations are still considered as the floral ambassadors of this occasion.  Probably a lesser-known fact is that Carnations are the flower associated with the month of January which means that thy are a great gift for anyone celebrating their birthday during this month.

Taking a look further back in history, some more interesting facts come to one’s attention regarding Carnations.  Theophrastus, a Greek botanist, was responsible for naming this flower in around 300 B.C.  The Greek word “Dianthus” means “flower of the gods” and it is believed that it was the favourite flower of the Roman king of gods, Jove.  However, it was only in 1753 that the flower genus was officially classified as Dianthus by the Swedish botanist, Carl Linnaeus.  Some even believe that the name Carnation was derived from the word coronation since it was used to make garlands for special events during Greek times.

Catholics are also known to have a special place in their hearts for this flower.  The belief is that Mary, mother of Christ, saw her son on the cross and wept as she was overcome with grief.  As her tears fell to the ground, they turned into the very first Carnations.  Somewhere around 1476, Leonardo da Vinci created yet another of his famous works called “The Madonna with the Carnation”.  It was created as a constant reminder of the association of the Carnation with Mary and Jesus Christ.  Mary is one of the most respected women in Catholicism and a fine example of a mother.  With this in mind, it seems fitting that the flower be presented on an occasion like Mother’s Day and even on mum’s birthday.

In many countries all over the world, we can see the adoption of traditions popularised by Americans.  China has started celebrating Mother’s Day since it has proven such a success in the States.  Not only did the Chinese people embrace this celebration but they even accepted the Carnation as the symbolic flower for this special day.  According to Chinese culture, the Carnation is also associated with motherhood so their acceptance of this celebration makes complete sense.

Today, due to its popularity, the Carnation is one of the most cultivated flowers in the world.  It should come as no surprise that the flower is available pretty much everywhere  and at any time of the year too.  Despite its popularity, we are lucky that Carnations are also one of the cheapest flowers around.  Since they also last longer than many other cut flowers, anyone buying them is sure to get their money’s worth as well.