Carnation Flower Facts
Carnation flowers come in a variety of vibrant colors and their natural resilience allows them to maintain a relatively long shelf life. Interestingly, carnations are one of the world's oldest cultivated flowers and, according to Proflowers.com, its scientific name is "Dianthus Caryophyllus," with "dianthus" roughly translating to "flower of the gods." With its delicate traits and clove-like scent, coupled with its extended blooming period, it's not surprising that carnations are commonly found throughout the year. Does this Spark an idea?
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Origin
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Carnation flowers are native to Eurasia and have been cultivated for more than 2,000 years. During ancient Greek and Roman times, these flowers were used in art and décor designs such as garlands and were predominantly found in peach and pale pink shades. Over centuries, however, the carnation's color evolved into shades of yellow, white, red, purple and sometimes green. According to Greenerthumb.com, approximately 250 to 300 species of this genus exist. In addition, the carnation currently stands as the state flower of Ohio, as well as the national flower of Spain, and is also the birth flower of January.
Physical Appearance
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Carnations are herbaceous perennial plants, which grow up to 32 inches. Its flowers have a distinct, sweet scent and bloom singly or grouped in 3 to 5 large clusters. Its soft and ruffled petals, which come in a wide array of colors, are arranged in either an overlapping or single manner with claw-like or serrated edges. Carnation leaves are stalkless and narrow and their color varies from green, purple to grayish blue.
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Types
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Three main types of carnations flowers are: large flowered carnations, which grow with one large flower per stem; spray carnations (or mini carnations), which grow numerous smaller flowers per stem; and dwarf flowered carnations (the smallest type), which consist of several flowers growing on one stem as well.
Growing
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Carnations are grown in flowering pots or within the ground from seed and the ideal planting season is spring, with cultivation beginning in April. When sowing carnation seeds, cover them lightly with ¼ inches of soil and space the seedlings 12 inches apart. Ensure that you use well-drained soil and water the carnations once or twice per week. Also, add a general-purpose type of fertilizer once or twice per month.
Care and Maintenance
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Place your carnations in bright, indirect sunlight throughout the day and keep its soil moist, but do not over-water because, according to TheFlowerExpert.com, it has a tendency of turning the foliage yellow. Remove fully bloomed flowers from soil to promote consistent blooming. Avoid exposing your carnations to direct heat or sunlight.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit pink carnation image by Inhumane Productions from Fotolia.com
