# carnations (*Dianthus*)

Carnations are beautiful flowers that come in many colors like pink, red, and white. They have a sweet smell and are often used in bouquets to celebrate special occasions.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Gardens
- **Also known as:** Clove Pink

![carnations](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Dianthus_plumarius0.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Kurt Stüber \[1\], CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dianthus_plumarius0.jpg)

## Appearance

The carnations has ruffled, often fringed petals in a spectrum of vibrant colors like red, pink, white, yellow, and purple. Their distinctive layered appearance and spicy scent make them stand out visually from other garden flowers.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Caryophyllales
- **Family:** Caryophyllaceae
- **Genus:** Dianthus

## Interesting facts

- Carnation petals can actually be eaten and used to decorate desserts.
- Some carnations can change color by absorbing dyed water through their stems.
- The name "Dianthus" means "flower of the gods" in ancient Greek!
- They were used in ancient Roman garlands and ceremonial crowns.

## Special abilities

- **Scent Attractor:** Carnations can produce a spicy-sweet scent that helps attract various insect pollinators for reproduction.
- **Lasting Beauty:** Carnations have long-lasting cut flowers, allowing them to remain vibrant in vases for extended periods.
- **Adaptable Roots:** Carnations can thrive in diverse soil conditions, helping them grow in many different garden environments.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 30-90 cm
- **Spread:** 20-45 cm
- **Flower Size:** 3-8 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Spring_to_fall
- **Edible:** Yes
- **Toxicity:** Mild
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Collects nectar and pollen
- **Pollinates:** [bumblebee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bumblebee) (*Bombus terrestris*) — Visits flowers for nectar
- **Eaten by:** red slug (*Arion rufus*) — Feeds on leaves and flowers

## Traits

- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Ornamental](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ornamental): Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form.
- [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth.
- [Everblooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/everblooming): Everblooming plants produce flowers continuously or in repeated flushes over a long period.
- [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.
- [Domesticated](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/domesticated): Domesticated refers to species that have been selectively bred and tamed by humans for specific purposes.
- [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always ask an adult before picking flowers, and remember to be gentle with plants.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify carnations?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is carnations?

30-90 cm

### How wide does carnations spread?

20-45 cm

### How big are the flowers on carnations?

3-8 cm

### When does carnations bloom?

Spring_to_fall

### Is carnations edible?

Yes

### Is carnations toxic?

Mild

### What is carnations's lifecycle?

Perennial

## Where to spot

- [Fort Christmas Historical Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fort-christmas-historical-park) — Florida, US · Park

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Carnations: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/carnations)