A red carnation flower is not only beautiful, but it is sent for expressing certain emotions. Signifying love, admiration and friendship, the red carnation is truly a flower suited for everyone.
Carnations are some of the highly prized flowers used in almost all occasions. Be it birthdays, weddings or anniversaries, carnation flower is a basic element for decoration. It is a flower for January born people, and gifted to couple on their first anniversary.
The best part about this lovely bloom is availability in different shades: red, white, yellow, peach, green and the list goes on. Indeed, you can find vibrant carnations suitable for every special event.
Red Carnation Flower
The carnation is a herbaceous, perennial plant that belongs to the family Dianthus caryophyllus. This scientific name itself reveals 'flower of love'.
The origin of this spectacular flower is nor clear, but it is believed to be a native plant of the Mediterranean regions. The blooms are borne singly or in clusters. Each individual flower is about 3-5 cm in diameter based on the cultivar.
Originally, the color of carnation is vibrant pinkish purple. From this, the red carnation, yellow carnation and remaining varieties are created.
As carnation flower meaning depicts love, affection, loyalty and many more, this flower holds a specific place in the floral industry (just like rose). To commemorate the late President William McKinley who often wore a red carnation, it was officially announced as the state flower of Ohio in 1904.
While a bouquet of vibrant carnations look awesome, a single, long-stalked scarlet carnation is adorable in its own way. You can adopt varied techniques of flower arrangements for making bouquets of these blood-red beauties.
Meaning of Red Carnation
According to the language of flowers, carnations symbolize love and fascination for women. As with other types of blooms, carnation meanings differ according to their color.
So, what do cherry-colored carnations symbolize? They were popular since earlier days, and sent to convey various messages. During Victorian times, striped carnations indicated refusal. The red-colored bloom was considered a sign of love, and dark red carnation represented a love-stricken heart.
In modern times, the accepted red carnation meaning is admiration, or in other words, 'I admire you'. Sending red carnations also conveys the message, 'my heart aches for you'. It exclaims respect, charity, love and passion for the recipient.
In some other schools of thought for flower meanings, carmine carnation symbolism varies with reference to the intensity of the red color. Say for example, the lighter shade of red signifies admiration for the other person, while the darker shade reveals deep affection and love.
Red Carnation and Mother's Day
Generally, carnations are associated with mother's day celebration. While pink carnations are commonly offered, gifting red carnations is observed amongst Canadians.
A beautifully arranged bouquet is given to express deeper sentiments of affection, adoration and love. What's more, there is a trend for wearing red carnations on the last day of examination in Oxford University. So, aren't these brilliantly colored carnations quite meaningful?
While using red carnation flower as corsages for bride, it is combined with other flowers to denote love, constancy, loyalty and fidelity.
As you now know the meaning of giving a red-hued carnation, send it to your special one, whom you admire the most. It is more meaningful than saying in words, and surely he/she will understand the language of a cerise carnation.
For decorating a table, you can also make red carnation centerpieces. Simply put red carnations in a decorative vase with other fillings. Or else, cut the stems at different lengths and arrange to make a unique pattern.
Also, you can use a contrasting color tablecloth to make the red carnation flower arrangements stand out perfectly.