Flower Types

Carnation meaning varies depending on the flower color. But at its heart, basic carnation flower meaning embraces the ideas of fascination, distinction and love. The love aspect of carnation meaning includes everything from a mother's devoted love to a suitor's passion for his bride.

According to a Christian legend, Carnations first appeared on earth as Jesus carried the Cross. Carnations sprang up from where the Virgin Mary's tears fell as she cried over her son's plight.
Miss. Anna Jarvis (The Founder of Mother's Day) used Carnations at the first Mother's Day celebration because Carnations were her mother's favorite flower.
Of the several kinds of Carnations, the three most common are the annual carnations, border carnations and perpetual-flowering carnations.
Carnations are also commonly referred to by their scientific name, "Dianthus", the name given by the Greek botanist Theopharastus. Carnations got the name Dianthus from two Greek Words - "dios", referring to the god Zeus, and "anthos", meaning flower. Carnations are thus known as the "The Flowers of God".

Kingdom - Plantae
Division - Magnoliophyta
Class - Magnoliopsida
Order - Caryophyllales
Family - Caryophyllaceae
Genus - Dianthus

Carnations - Meanings
Another reason why carnations have become popular is because they come in numerous colors and each color of carnation has a different meaning. Some of these meanings are listed below