Dianthus caryophyllus (scientific name) #carnations #meaningofcarnations
Carnations can be translate in to 'Flowers of the god' or 'Flowers of love'. It's existence can be traced back to 2,000 years or more, as carnations were mentioned in Greek literature 2,000 years ago.
Some scholars believe that the name "carnation" comes from "coronation" or "corone" (flower garlands), as it was one of the flowers used in Greek ceremonial crowns. Others think the name stems from the Latin "caro" (genitive "carnis") (flesh), which refers to the original color of the flower, or incarnatio (incarnation), which refers to the incarnation of God made flesh. The legend that explains the name is that Diana the Goddess came upon the shepherd boy and took a liking to him. But the boy, for some reason, turned her down. Diana ripped out his eyes and threw them to the ground where they sprouted into the Dianthus flower
Traditional meanings
Carnations express love, fascination, and distinction, though there are many variations dependent on color.
· Light red carnations represent admiration, while dark red denote deep love and affection.
· White carnations symbolize feelings of pure love, innocence, faithfulness, ardent love, gratitude, and good luck.
· Pink carnations presents "Mother's Undying Love"
· Purple carnations indicate capriciousness. In France, it is a traditional funeral flower, given in condolence for the death of a loved one.
·yellow carnation signifies emotions of rejection, disdain, and disappointment in someone.
·Usually hybrid, the striped carnations come in varied colors and are used when one wants to convey their refusal to someone.
· According to a Christian legend, carnations first appeared on Earth as Jesus carried the Cross. The Virgin Mary shed tears at Jesus' plight, and carnations sprang up from where her tears fell. Thus the pink carnation became the symbol of a mother's undying love.
· Carnation is the birth flower for those born in the month of January.
The formal name for carnation, dianthus, comes from Greek for "heavenly flower", or the flower of Jove.
Holidays and events
Carnations are often worn on special occasions, especially Mother's Day and weddings. In 1907, Anna Jarvis chose a carnation as the emblem of Mother's Day because it was her mother's favorite flower. This tradition is now observed in the United States and Canada on the second Sunday in May. Ann Jarvis chose the white carnation because she wanted to represent the purity of a mother's love. This meaning has evolved over time, and now a red carnation may be worn if one's mother is alive, and a white one if she has died.
(Source: Wikipedia)
