Discussion

Carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus)

Just to be clear, this is not this week's painting subject in spite of the picture on the label.

Carnations are thought to have originated in the Mediterranean region because wild carnations are most common in that area today, but since it has been cultivated in Europe and Asia for over 2,000 years, it is hard to be certain.

The colorful blossoms have cultural significance in many parts of the world. White carnations, for example, are symbols of affection. That may explain why they make popular boutonnieres and corsages.

Anna Jarvis, the founder of Mother's Day, used white carnations to symbolize the day. Today, red/pink carnations are preferred to celebrate living mothers, while white is used to remember deceased mothers.

Different carnation colors have different meanings in various cultures, but in general, they mean:

Dark Red: Deep love and romance.

Light Red: Friendship and admiration.

White: Purity, faithfulness, and good luck.

Pink: Mother's love and gratitude.

Purple: Heartfelt apologies or capricious feelings.

Yellow: Disappointment and rejection.

Green: Good luck, prosperity, and pride. 

The plants commonly called Carnations (Dianthus caryophyllus) are member species in the Dianthus genus which is comprised of over 300 species. The genus name, Dianthus, is derived from Greek words meaning divine flower. There are two other major groupings among Dianthus species; Pinks (Dianthus plumarius) and Sweet Williams (Dianthus barbatus).

Pinks are not called pinks because of their color which can be variations of pink, red, and white. They are called pinks because their blossom's petals have a serrated edge as if they were cut with pinking shears.

These wild carnations are believed to be similar to the original carnations before they began to be bred

Here is a closer look at a wild carnation blossom.

Wild carnation blossoms are single layered, typically with 5 petals. Their natural colors are bright pinkish-purple or white. They are hermaphrodites, meaning that each individual flower has both male and female parts. The 2 pale objects coming out from the very center of the blossom above are female stigmas. Blossoms typically have 2 to 5 of them. The ovaries are deep in the base of the flower. The pollen-bearing male anthers are those purple objects. That color is a sign of maturity, though the pollen itself is yellow. The male parts in wild carnations mature before the female parts do, making the plants less likely to self-pollinate, though it can still happen. The sex organs of modern cultivars mature around the same time, making self-pollination far more likely. 

he blossoms of most modern cultivars are bred to be doubled.

They can have as many as 40 petals per blossom. Blossoms are 2 to 3 inches wide on 1- to 2-foot stems. There is typically one blossom per stem, though there are mini varieties that can have as many as 7 blossoms per stem.

Colored cultivars come in a wide variety of colors including white, yellow, pink, red, salmon, fuchsia, deep purple, light green, bi-colors, and flecked. When left on the plant, individual carnation blossoms can last 2 to 3 weeks. When cut, they usually begin to wither within 4 to 6 hours if not placed in water. If well tended, cut carnations can last 2 to 3 weeks again.

It has been difficult to find a clear photo of a complete carnation plant in isolation, but this image gives a good idea of what one looks like. The only significant exception is with some mini-carnations in which there can be multiple blossoms per stem as shown above.

This is much more like they appear in gardens. Note that the leaves appear to be much longer than in the illustration above.

Commercial carnation growing is big business. The annual market for them is estimated at close to 3 billion dollars, with many billions of carnations being sold every year. This is a relatively small operation.

Carnations are perennial plants. Seedlings establish themselves in the spring, and blooming begins in the late spring through the summer (May through August). Buds take 2 to 3 weeks to swell before opening, and then they stay fresh for a few weeks before blossoms wither.

Once withering begins, it usually takes 4 to 6 weeks for seed pods to fully mature and begin to open.

As noted above, even after being cut, carnation stems and blossoms remain vital for a period of time. One way this is demonstrated is with a fun experiment involving white carnations and colored water. This works with carnations of other colors, too, but it works best with white carnations. Split the stem as shown below. 

Place each of the split ends in a glass of colored water. Depending on how fresh the carnation is, results begin to appear within 30 minutes to an hour. The full effect usually takes about 24 hours.

Carnation petals are edible and are used as garnishes in salads, dessert decorations, and other uses. In traditional medicine, carnation petals are steeped in hot water to make tea for treating anxiety, reduce inflammation, and ease digestive issues.

In Japan various plants are the basis for family crests (kamon). Though rare, carnations are one of these plants.

Artwork

Tanigami Konan (1879 – 1928)

Not much is known about this early 20th century artist. His primary focus was on kachō-ga, pictures of birds and flowers. His best-known work was his Seiyo Soka Zufu (Pictorial Book of Western Flowers), the first edition of which was published in 1917. His Carnations was printed in 1918.