Meaning & Symbolism of Different Colors of Carnations

Carnation colors each have their own meaning and represent everything from love and admiration to regret and disappointment. Learn the meaning of each carnation by color and discover everything they symbolize so you'll know the perfect color to give as a gift or gesture.

Information on the origin of the carnation's name and meaning ranges from stories associated with Mary, mother of Jesus, to Greek ceremonial crowns, and even Latin word origins. It's widely accepted that the carnation flower comes from the Greek term meaning "flower of God." The meaning of the carnation flower usually centers on love, and other general carnation symbolism includes joy, fascination, and beauty. Carnations, depending upon the symbolism of each color, are both a wonderful gift and a lovely addition to your home's garden.

The pink carnation meaning has a few origin stories. One story describes the tears of Mary during Christ's crucifixion, falling on the ground and producing pink carnations. This story is often associated with the pink carnation symbolism for "a mother's love." Pink carnations are also connected to feelings of gratitude, so they are a wonderful choice for a gesture of thanks. Pink carnations, the most popular of all the carnation colors, are also associated with devotion, innocence, and fascination.

Orange carnations symbolize all the positive feelings you can think of! The meaning of orange carnations includes feelings of happiness, warmth, determination, and creativity. Orange carnations are also a representation of health, balance, and success. The orange carnation is mostly a flower of celebration, though it can also symbolize a refusal to a proposed idea.

Flowers may be beautiful, but they don't all symbolize something positive. Yellow carnations, for example, represent feelings of rejection and disappointment. These may not be the best flowers to send to your significant other or your mom. If you want to communicate your feelings of disappointment with someone, the meaning of yellow carnations makes them the perfect floral selection.

Though light and dark red carnations represent love, the specifics differ between the shades. Light red carnations symbolize a love rooted in admiration or adoration. These are a great flower choice for a friend celebrating an accomplishment and a significant other you want to show your appreciation for.

While light red carnations show adoration, dark red carnations symbolize a deep and passionate love. More often associated with affection, dark red carnations show your significant other how deep your love runs for them and that you aren't afraid to show the world how passionately in love you are.

If you're looking for a way to wish someone well on their endeavor, look no further than the white carnation. White carnations symbolize purity and good luck. You can also convey feelings of gratitude and faithfulness with white carnations.

Purple carnations offer condolences to someone suffering an unfortunate situation, so send them along to a friend experiencing sorrow or disappointment. Some also suggest that purple carnations represent fickleness or instability.

Striped carnations have a singular meaning, and it might not be the happiest notion. Symbolizing rejection, striped carnations are often used to refuse the affections of a potential lover or to communicate a simple "no, thanks."

Now that you know all the meanings of the different colored carnations, you can send the right bouquet to communicate your feelings. Whether you're sending pink carnations to show your devotion or purple carnations to offer your condolences, there is a carnation color perfect for the exact words you want to say.