A carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus) is a popular flowering plant native to the Mediterranean region, widely cultivated for its long-lasting blossoms and distinct, sweet, clove-like fragrance.
 |
| Ruffled petals of a carnation. Source: Premier Seeds Direct |
The name "carnation" probably comes from the Latin corona ("crown" or "garland"), since the flower was woven into ceremonial crowns in ancient Greece and Rome, though some scholars trace it instead to Latin caro/carnis ("flesh"), referring to the blossom's original pale pink color.
The scientific name Dianthus was coined by the Greek botanist Theophrastus and combines the Greek words for "divine" (dios) and "flower" (anthos), giving carnations the nickname "flower of the gods."
The scientific name Dianthus was coined by the Greek botanist Theophrastus and combines the Greek words for "divine" (dios) and "flower" (anthos), giving carnations the nickname "flower of the gods."
Carnations have been cultivated for more than 2,000 years and were mentioned in ancient Greek literature; their spicy, clove-like scent comes from essential oils containing eugenol, the same compound found in true cloves.
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.
It was a rule of Cadburys in Victorian times that women had to leave work when they got married, and wedding gifts of a Bible and a carnation were given to women who left the company to tie the knot.
The Irish writer Oscar Wilde famously wore a green carnation. The green carnation thence became a symbol of homosexuality in the early 20th century, especially through the book The Green Carnation and Noel Coward's song, "We All Wear a Green Carnation" in his operetta, Bitter Sweet.
U.S. President William McKinley always kept a lucky red carnation in his lapel. In 1901, minutes after giving the flower away, he was shot.
The scarlet carnation became the official state flower of Ohio in 1904, largely because McKinley, an Ohio native, had championed it as his personal emblem; the town of Alliance, Ohio, where the variety was first bred, is still nicknamed "Carnation City."
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. Anna Jarvis chose the white carnation because she wanted to represent the purity of a mother's love; pink or red carnations later became customary for honoring a living mother, with white reserved for one who had died.
The carnation is the official birth flower for the month of January, symbolizing love, fascination, and distinction, and it shares that role with the snowdrop as a secondary bloom.
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.
It was a rule of Cadburys in Victorian times that women had to leave work when they got married, and wedding gifts of a Bible and a carnation were given to women who left the company to tie the knot.
The Irish writer Oscar Wilde famously wore a green carnation. The green carnation thence became a symbol of homosexuality in the early 20th century, especially through the book The Green Carnation and Noel Coward's song, "We All Wear a Green Carnation" in his operetta, Bitter Sweet.
U.S. President William McKinley always kept a lucky red carnation in his lapel. In 1901, minutes after giving the flower away, he was shot.
The scarlet carnation became the official state flower of Ohio in 1904, largely because McKinley, an Ohio native, had championed it as his personal emblem; the town of Alliance, Ohio, where the variety was first bred, is still nicknamed "Carnation City."
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. Anna Jarvis chose the white carnation because she wanted to represent the purity of a mother's love; pink or red carnations later became customary for honoring a living mother, with white reserved for one who had died.
The carnation is the official birth flower for the month of January, symbolizing love, fascination, and distinction, and it shares that role with the snowdrop as a secondary bloom.
In the last scene of the movie Magical Mystery Tour, where the four Beatles dance in tuxedos, Paul McCartney wore a black carnation while the others wore red, fueling rumors that Paul was dead.
Red carnations have long been associated with the labour and socialist movements, historically worn during May Day demonstrations, while in China the flower is one of the most popular choices for weddings.
Oxford University tradition is that all students wear a carnation as well as academic dress to their exams. The color of the carnation is white for the first exam, red for the last and pink for each one in between.
Sources Wikipedia, Songfacts,
No comments:
Post a Comment