Carnation Meaning by Color

Carnations carry an unfair reputation as a cheap or old-fashioned flower. In practice they are one of the best buys you can make: they last two to three weeks, they are fragrant, and they come in more colors than almost any other species.

What each color means

Color	Meaning	When to use it
Red	Admiration and deep love	Anniversaries, meaningful thank-yous
Pink	A mother's love, gratitude	Mother's Day — it is the historic flower of the holiday
White	Purity, good luck	Weddings, births, condolences
Yellow	Joy (and, in the old tradition, disappointment)	Birthdays, when the context is clear
Purple and variegated	Whimsy, fantasy	Mixed arrangements, decor

Why it is the Mother's Day flower

The custom dates back to the early 20th century: the pink carnation was adopted as a symbol of a mother's love, and from there it spread across Western culture. Today the rose has taken over commercially, but symbolically the carnation is still the right flower for the day (in Argentina, Mother's Day falls in October).

The fact that matters most: how long it lasts

A well-cared-for carnation lasts 14 to 21 days. It has the best ratio of price to days in the vase of anything on the market. If the bouquet has to travel, if it is hot out, or if you want it to last a long time, it is the most sensible choice. We compare it with everything else in how long flowers last.

An arranging tip

Carnations on their own can look flat. They improve enormously paired with textured greenery —eucalyptus, ruscus— or mixed with gerberas and alstroemerias. As filler in a large arrangement they are unbeatable: they add volume without driving up the price.

Availability of each flower changes with the season. If you are looking for a specific flower, ask us before ordering and we will confirm whether we have it.