What other names does the carnation have? What you know may just be its alias

Carnation aliases

The carnation, also known as lion's head pink, musk pink, clove pink, large-flowered pink, and Dutch pink, is a plant of the family Caryophyllaceae and the genus Dianthus.

Morphological characteristics of the carnation

The carnation is an evergreen subshrub, cultivated as a perennial herbaceous flower. Because its petals have fringed edges and a fragrant scent, it is widely cultivated. It is generally divided into two types: flowerbed carnations and florist carnations; the stems are clustered, hard in texture, grayish green, with swollen nodes, about 50cm tall, and the leaves are thick and linear, opposite. The stems and leaves are similar to those of Dianthus chinensis but more robust, covered with a white powder. The flowers are large, fragrant, solitary, in clusters of 2-3, or in cymes; below the calyx are four rhombic-ovate bracteoles, with short pointed tips, about one quarter the length of the calyx tube; the calyx tube is green, five-lobed; the petals are irregular, with toothed edges, single or double, in colors such as red, pink, yellow, and white. The flowering period is from 4 to 9 months, and under protected cultivation it flowers all year round.

Growth habits of the carnation

The carnation prefers a cool, dry ecological environment with ample sunlight and good ventilation. It has good cold tolerance but poor heat tolerance, with an optimum growth temperature of 14--21°C. When the temperature exceeds 27°C or falls below 14°C, the plant grows slowly. It is suitable for planting in calcareous soil rich in humus and with good drainage. It likes fertilizer.

Variety classification of the carnation

There are extremely many carnation varieties, with plant characteristics, flower shapes, and flower colors varying endlessly, and classification methods also differ.

By flowering habit: one-season flowering type, four-season flowering type.

By flower size: large-flowered type, small-flowered type.

By cultivation method: open-field cultivation type (one-season flowering), greenhouse cultivation type (can flower continuously).

By cut-flower pruning method: standard type (large-flowered type, one flower per stem), spray type (small-flowered type, multiple flowers per stem).

By use: cut-flower varieties, potted varieties.

According to morphology, habits, and breeding origin, it is divided into eight systems (--"Latest Horticulture Dictionary" Japan): flowerbed pink, marguerite-type pink, Chabaud pink, Anne . D . Nantes pink, giant-flowered pink, Malmaison pink, perpetual-flowering pink, small-flowered pink.

By flower color: (1) Bright red category varieties: flower colors include bright red, pink, and mixed colors, etc.

(2) Purple category varieties: flowers are purple.

(3) Flesh-colored category varieties: flowers are agate-colored, pale yellow, yellow, etc.

By flower size and number: it can also be divided by the size and number of flowers on the stem into two categories: large-flowered pink and spray pink.

The flower language of the carnation

Carnations of different colors have different flower languages.

White carnation: sweet and lovely, innocent, pure love, a gift that brings good luck to women, purity, pure friendship, my living love, my love endures forever, faith, elegant love, true affection, respect.

Pink carnation: I will never forget you, beauty, youth, passionate love, wishing mother forever young and beautiful; moved, bright, maternal love, a woman's love, I love you passionately.

Red carnation: my heart aches for you, admiration, worship, infatuation, family affection, passionate love, enthusiasm, a wounded heart, longing, belief in your love, wishing mother health and longevity, wishing you health.

Yellow carnation: you disappoint me, abandonment, disdain, long-lasting friendship, gratitude to mother, rejection, reproach, contempt, eternal gratitude, deep friendship.

Cream-red carnation: sorrow.

Deep red carnation: passionate love.

Peach-red carnation: loving you.

Variegated carnation: rejecting your love.

Purple carnation: willfulness, unpredictability.

Speckled carnation: rejection, I cannot be with you.

Striped carnation: sorry.

The uses of the carnation

Ornamental use. The carnation is an excellent cut-flower variety and the recognized flower of Mother's Day. Its flower colors are delicate and beautiful, it is fragrant, and its flowering period is long. It suits various flower-arrangement needs and is often combined with gladiolus, asparagus fern, asparagus, and ferns to form graceful bouquets. Dwarf varieties can also be used for potted ornamental display. The flowers can also be used to extract fragrance.

Carnation flower tea. The carnation has properties of beautifying and nourishing the face, calming the mind and quenching thirst, clearing the heart and brightening the eyes, reducing inflammation and relieving irritability, promoting fluid production and moistening the throat, and strengthening the stomach and reducing food accumulation. It has a clear effect on treating headaches and toothaches. It contains various trace elements needed by the human body, can accelerate blood circulation, promote metabolism, and has the effects of clearing the heart and removing dryness, detoxifying and beautifying the face, and regulating the endocrine system. It also has the effects of strengthening the kidneys and enriching essence, treating consumptive disease, cough, and thirst. It clears the liver and cools the blood, whitens the skin, and removes spots and wrinkles. It can improve blood circulation, enhance the body's metabolism, and has effects such as clearing the heart and removing dryness, detoxifying and beautifying the face, delaying aging, regulating the female endocrine system, tonifying the kidneys and supporting vitality, strengthening and stimulating the appetite, and regulating blood lipids and aiding weight loss. When brewing carnation, suitable pairings include: forget-me-not, stock, rose queen, and wintersweet.