June, the time of the year that transitions from spring to summer is also the most popular time of the year to hold weddings, proms, high school graduations, and religious rites of passages like confirmation and communion.  One of the flowers that are most identifiable with these events is the carnation, which you are bound to find garnishing churches, reception halls, table settings, and front lawns.   The carnation or dianthus carvophyllus is one of the most popular flowers used to decorate family and community celebrations.   It is often put in bouquets, corsages and floral arrangements.   The flower has traditionally been linked to expressions of good-will and happiness, and comes in many different colors mostly subdued shades like white, beige. blush pink, and a variety of greens and blues.  Floralists have given each color a special meaning:  pink represents a mother’s love, light red symbolizes admiration, dark red is meant to show deep love or a woman’s affection, white represents good luck or pure love, and green carnations are typically used for St. Patrick’s Day,

The carnation or dianthus received its name from the Greek botanist, Theopharastus, who derived the name “Dianthus” from two Greek words:  “dios” which refers to the god Zeus and “anthos” which means flower in Greek.  Carnations are thus “The Flower of God.”  Carnations grow to between 6 and 8.5 cm in diameter. Their petals are generally clawed or serrated.  They are bisexual flowers and bloom simply or in a branched or forked cluster. The stamens on carnations are formed from one or two whorls, in equal number or twice the number of the petals.   The plant is native to Eurasia and they grow into big, full blooms that last a long time. 

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

Carnations are a low-maintenance plant.  They generally take care of themselves. They always seem happy with whatever soil they are planted in, and pleased with whatever rain showers Mother Nature can provide them with throughout the year.   The only maintenance required of their owner is plucking off any wilted petals or pruning any dried up branches, which should be done in the fall or winter always cutting on a diagonal and away from the buds.  The plant flourishes in a sandy loam type of soil, but really most types of soil with due.  They need some hours of full sun each day, which make them a perfect plant for the outdoors, and they can make any lawn look like a million dollars.