Popular since the Ancient Greeks, dianthus (the genus name of the flower more commonly known as the carnation) is flower of the gods or flower of love. The Romans knew carnations as “Jove’s Flower”, after Jove or Jupiter, king of the gods and the god of sky and thunder. Carnations flowers are one of the oldest cultivated, thought to be native to the Mediterranean region, though no-one can be completely sure now, since it has been in widespread cultivation for so long, all around the world. Christians believe that the first carnations, pink in color, sprang from the tears that The Virgin Mary wept for Jesus as he carried his own cross to the crucifixion. For this reason, pink carnations have always signified a mother’s love.

They flower tops long stems which carry long, slender leaves. The usual natural color is a bright pink-purple, but centuries of cultivation give us a wide variety of colors today, from white, through yellow, orange, peach and red to purple. You may even find green carnations if you hunt around. One color that’s extremely rare is blue; only recently has genetic engineering been put to use on the carnation to develop a blue blossom. Most carnations have a delicious, clove-like scent, and with their pleasant shape and wide variety of colors on offer, they’re always a delightful sight.

While the most common meaning of the carnation is love, admiration and gratitude, some carnation colors carry a specific meaning. Here are some of them:

Carnations are for mother’s day, for your first wedding anniversary, for weddings and for prom. They’re popular for any occasion. And now you’ll know what message you’ll be sending to the recipient when you give them a bouquet of these graceful blossoms, standing atop their tall and slender stems.

If you’re wanting to buy some carnations, our recommended online florist sells bouquets of a dozen red carnations, or pink carnations; they also have a gorgeous arrangement of lilies and carnations that’s absolutely delightful.