clove pink

Dianthus caryophyllus is a herbaceous perennial plant growing up to 80 cm (32 in) tall. The leaves are glaucous greyish green to blue-green, slender, and up to 15 cm (6 in) long. The flowers are produced singly or up to five together in a cyme; they are around 3–5 cm (1¼–2 in) in diameter, and sweetly scented. The original natural flower color is bright pinkish-purple, but cultivars of other colors, including red, pink, yellow, white, and green, have been developed. While sometimes dyed blue for cut bouquets, there are no known carnation cultivars that produce a true blue flower. The fragrant, hermaphrodite flowers have a radial symmetry. The four to six egg-shaped, sting-pointed scale leaves surrounding the calyx are only ¼ as long as the calyx tube.

The wild carnation is found in the Mediterranean countries of Portugal, Spain, Italy, Croatia, Albania, Greece and Turkey.

Carnations require well-drained, neutral to slightly alkaline soil, and full sun. Numerous cultivars have been selected for garden planting. Typical examples include 'Gina Porto', 'Helen', 'Laced Romeo', and 'Red Rocket'. They are used for medical purposes, such as for upset stomach and fever. Their fragrance was historically used for vinegar, beer, wine, sauces and salads. Crossbreeding D. caryophyllus with D. capitatus results in a hybrid that is resistant to bacterial wilt from Paraburkholderia caryophylli. However, the flower is less attractive and so more breeding and backcrossing is needed to improve the flower. Carnation cultivars with no fragrance are often used by men as boutonnières or "buttonholes".

For the most part, carnations express love, fascination, and distinction, though there are many variations dependent on color.

Along with the red rose, the red carnation can be used as a symbol of socialism, social democracy, democratic socialism, and the labour movement, and historically has often been used in demonstrations on International Workers' Day (May Day). In China, the carnation flower is the most frequently used flower in weddings. In Portugal, bright red carnations were used when in 1974 the authoritarian Estado Novo regime was overthrown; therefore, this transition (brought about by a combination of a coup d'état with civil resistance) is known as the Carnation Revolution. Light red carnations represent admiration, while dark red denote deep love and affection. White carnations represent pure love and good luck, while striped (variegated) carnations symbolise regret that a love cannot be shared. In the Netherlands, white carnations are associated with Prince Bernhard. He wore one during World War II and in a gesture of defiance some of the Dutch population took up this gesture. After the war the white carnation became a sign of the Prince, veterans and remembrance of the resistance. Purple carnations indicate capriciousness. …