January Flower: Carnations

Red dianthus growing in my Missouri hillside garden. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

January Flower: Carnations

When I hear the word “carnation,” I often think of a flower I have to pick up at a florist or floral section of a grocery store. But there is a more common garden flower in the same family, Dianthus, also called Pinks and Sweet William.

Dianthus plants may be found as a hardy annual, biennial or perennial. They are most often used in borders or potted displays. The plants are small and usually between 6 and 18 inches (15-46 cm.) tall. They were a very popular garden flower in the US in the 1950s and 1960s, it’s featured in this 1961 Complete Guide of Garden Flowers.

Dianthus flowers are most often in pink, salmon, red and white hues. The foliage is slender and sparsely spread on thick stems.

Dianthus had a short blooming season until 1971, when a breeder learned how to grow forms that did not set seed and, therefore, have a prolonged bloom period. Modern varieties will typically bloom from May to October.

Love the splash of red these spicy-scented Dianthus provide. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

.Different colors convey different meanings according to the “Language of Flowers.”

White carnations symbolize pure love, while yellow means “wish you were here.”

Pink says, “you’re unforgettable.”

A pale red denotes admiration and the idea that “my heart aches for you,” while dark red conveys feelings of deep love and affection.

Snowdrops, which indicate hope and beauty, are also flowers for this month but neither one is growing where I live. If I want to gift carnations, it’s off to a florist!

Charlotte

January Gift Flowers: Carnations

Red carnations from a gift bouquet keep a little sprig of pink geraniums company in kitchen vase.

January Gift Flowers: Carnations

January is a special month in my home because both my cat Margaret and I celebrate our birthdays. Margaret turned 19 years old this year, human years equivalent of 98 years old. She has always had selective hearing and now she's a little challenged with her eyesight so I keep tabs on her so that when she cries because she's lost, I can quickly find her.

She was sitting next to the little vase with leftover gift flowers from a friend over Christmas when I remembered carnations are January's gift flowers. The red carnations had lasted almost a month already, one of the longest cut flowers one can buy among the many choices.

Florists like to add long-lasting flowers in their arrangements so the flowers can be enjoyed as they wilt. Chrysanthemums, in all of their forms, is another long-lasting choice, as are Peruvian lilies, which can last as cut flowers for a good 6 weeks.

I try to remember how well a plant will work as a cut flower as I add them to my garden. 

What Carnations Represent in Language of Flowers

In the Victorian era, flowers held special meaning so they were carefully selected when sending to someone. Today the "Language of Flowers" still holds, with the color of carnations having a different meaning, much as roses do.

White carnations suggest pure love and good luck, light red symbolizes admiration, while dark red represents deep love and affection.

Here are some other meanings for carnations in various different colors:

Pink Carnations: Mother's Love

Light red Carnations: Admiration

Dark red Carnations: Deep Love and a Woman's Affection

Striped Carnations: Regret, Refusal

Green Carnations: St. Patrick's Day

Purple Carnations: Capriciousness

Yellow Carnation: Disappointment, Dejection

These hot pink carnations blended in beautifully with my long-lasting Peruvian lilies.

I almost picked up some yellow carnations on sale to keep my flower vase company earlier today. I settled instead for a bouquet of hot pink ones to keep my still-blooming Peruvian lilies company. The yellow ones were so tempting because they were bright and cheery, a welcome spot of color in an otherwise cold and gloomy month.

When I looked up the meaning of yellow carnations in one of my Language of Flowers book, it said yellow carnations represent disdain. Regardless of the meaning, I think fresh flowers are welcome in any color, for any celebration, any time of the year!

Charlotte

January Gift Flower: Carnations

Pretty bouquet of pink carnations brightening up my kitchen for my January birthday.

January Gift Flower: Carnations

Carnations or Dianthus, their Latin botanical name, are the January gift flower of the month, a nice idea for personalized gift-giving. I should know, I have a January birthday.

Carnations, along with a number of favorite garden flowers, are ancient flowers, possibly named from the Greek word for flower garlands, since this long-lived flower was a popular choice for those floral decorations.

According to the Victorian-era language of flowers, carnations in general represent fascination and divine love. Each different carnation flower color also has it's own special meaning:

Pink carnation: I will never forget you

Purple carnation: Capriciousness

Red carnation: My Heart Aches for You; admiration

Solid carnation: Yes

Striped carnation: Sorry I can't be with you or Wish I could be with you.

Yellow carnation: Rejection, you have disappointed me.

White carnation: Woman's good luck gift.

Some carnations are nicely-fragrant, especially ones out of home gardens. One of the advantages of carnations is that they ar