Carnations Flowers

Description

Carnations Flowers

Dianthus caryophyllus, commonly known as the carnation or clove pink, is a species of Dianthus. It is probably native to the Mediterranean region but its exact range is unknown due to extensive cultivation for the last 2,000 years.

Carnations are among the most popular commercial cut flowers, being used in floral arrangements, corsages, and boutonnieres. In 1907 Anna Jarvis of Philadelphia selected the pink carnation as the symbol for Mothers Day. In Europe the carnation was formerly used as a treatment for fevers. It was also used to spice up wine and ale  during Elizabethan times, as a substitute for the more expensive clove (Syzygium aromaticum).

There are two general groups, the border or garden carnations and the perpetual flowering carnations. Border carnations include a range of varieties and hybrids, 30 to 75 cm (1 to 2.5 feet) tall; the flowers, in a wide range of colours, are usually less than 5 cm (2 inches) in diameter and are borne on wiry, stiffly erect stems. The bluish green leaves are narrow, sheathing the stems; there are swellings at the junction of leaf and stem.