Carnations, The Official Mother's Day Flowers

 

 

Selecting the best blooms for a Mother’s Day flower arrangement can be tough. You want it to be your mom’s favorite blooms, preferred style, and convey the most heartfelt sentiments of love and gratitude that’s perfect for the occasion all at the same time. There’s a lot of gorgeous Mother’s Day flowers to choose from. There’s the longlasting orchid plants, the classic roses, the captivating peonies, and tulips, which are certified spring staples. The options are endless and they are all beautiful. 

But did you know, the official flowers for Mother’s day are actually carnations? In this article, we’ll talk more about the delicate carnations in detail and its connection the biggest holidays dedicated to moms.

Mother’s Day, Who Started It All?

Anna Jarvis made history when she held the first official Mother’s Day celebration in the United States in 1908. It is Anna’s personal advocacy she made sure came true as a way of honoring all mothers, including her own who passed away. It was declared a national holiday in the U.S. in 1914.

Why Give Carnations on Mother’s Day?

During the first Mother’s Day, Anna gifted away 500 carnations to all the mothers present during the congregational service at a church where her mother served as a Sunday school teacher. Since then the said church continued the tradition with their Mother’s Day service and gave away carnations to appreciate the mothers. The story of the thoughtful practice eventually spread and was soon being done in other churches and other communities, too.

Carnations, Flower Meaning

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Floral experts say that Anna’s mother loved carnations and that their home in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania had a thriving garden blooming with white carnations.  

Traditionally, pink carnations are given to moms on Mother’s Day and stand for a mother’s undying and unfading love. The white carnations, on the other hand, are a remembrance of a mom who has passed away.

Outside of Mother’s Day, carnations are known to have a wide array of interesting symbolism and flower meanings around the world. Here are some notable examples:

• Green carnations - The official flower for Irish festivity, St. Patrick’s Day, and was worn by Oscar Wilde
• White carnations - A symbol of innocence and purity. In Holland and the Netherlands, these white flowers honor the brave people who fought during the war.
• Red carnation - This flower is all about passion and love. It’s the national flower of Spain, where it’s colloquially known as clavel. In Portugal, they have the Carnation Revolution and regard the flower as a symbol of their independence.

Mother’s Day Flowers

Don’t let her special day slip without telling your mom how much she means to you. Make her heart melt with a thoughtful gift of stunning orchids and flower arrangements. Orchid Republic offers same-day flower delivery in Los Angeles and Orange County.