Flower meaning and symbolising – the carnation

Carnations are one of the most popular flowers out there. You’ll also notice that despite their popularity, carnations are still one of the cheapest flowers around. Not only that, but they are also one of the longest lasting cut flowers you will find at your local florist. When many of us send flowers for Mother’s Day, we choose a bouquet that consists of or at least includes a few carnations. Just as every type of flower has an associated flower meaning, so does every colour.

Red for romance

Red carnations, just like red roses, are associated with a deep form of love, affection and passion. Red roses are a popular gift to send on occasions like Valentine’s Day. However, it goes without saying that a bunch of red roses will really take you back to Valentine’s Day. So many people choose to send carnations instead. The flower meaning is essentially the same, but it won’t cost you an arm and a leg.

Affection and appreciation

Women traditionally wear pink carnations on Mother’s Day to celebrate their mothers. According to legend, the mother of Jesus Christ, Mary, wept as she walked to the crucifixion of her. Along the way she shed many tears and from those tears the first pink carnations sprouted. Therefore, they are associated with the powerful love of a mother for her child. Over the years, it has become popular for children to give their mothers pink carnations for Mother’s Day instead of wearing them themselves. After all, if mum is still alive, why not give her the perfect Mother’s Day flowers?

Purity and innocence

White carnations are also used on Mother’s Day. However, while pink carnations are worn by those whose mothers are still alive, white carnations are worn by those whose mothers have already passed on. This bloom has more than one flower meaning associated to it. They symbolize pure love, fidelity and innocence.

Colours to avoid

Yellow roses are known to be associated with friendship. Yellow carnations, on the other hand, are more commonly associated with a feeling of rejection or disappointment. Perhaps we should think twice before sending this particular flower, given this flower meaning. For those who have admirers who can’t disappoint them easily, striped carnations are their point of reference. Striped varieties are known as a means of sending someone a rejection message.

Uncommon colour

One of the least common carnations to order are the purple ones. They symbolize unpredictability. If you send someone these flowers, they may take it as if you are trying to tell them that you or they are not trustworthy. They are also not often grown in gardens due to this flower meaning.

Now that you know the flower meaning for each colour, you can make a more informed decision when shopping for carnations for that special someone in your life! If you’re going to buy some carnations for yourself, why not get people talking by sending each other a bunch of red carnations?