Unlike Father’s Day, initially celebrated with a red or white rose, Mother’s Day was and is still hugely associated with bouquets. While you could give your mother anything from a professionally arranged bouquet as an adult to a handful of dandelions as a child (or vice versa), there is one official flower for Mother’s Day: the carnation.
Carnations: The Official Flower for Mother’s Day
Who doesn’t love to receive a beautiful bouquet on Mother’s Day? But, did you know that the official flower for Mother’s Day is, in fact, a red carnation? The history of how this came to be is fascinating and you can read about it here.
The Official Mother’s Day Flower: The Carnation
The official Mother’s Day flower is a red carnation. While this may seem like a cheap choice when there are fancier flowers, the carnation has been the official flower ever since the holiday’s inception. (And no, shockingly, Hallmark didn’t make it up.)
The story starts with Ann Jarvis in the 1800s. Having lost 8 of her 12 children, Ann organized coalitions to combat childhood illness, raising money for medicine, providing nursing care for the sick, and inspecting food and milk. During the civil war, the coalitions cared for wounded soldiers. When the war ended, Ann organized a Mothers’ Friendship Day to bring together mothers from both sides to encourage reconciliation. All this while raising her remaining four children, including her daughter Anna.
Anna and her mother were quite close, and her mother’s death in 1905 devastated her. Anna pledged to establish a national day to honor not only her own mother, but all the mothers for the contributions they make to society. She organized a memorial for her mother at her mother’s church and passed out 500 white carnations. Why white carnations? They were her mother’s favorite flower.
After that, Anna wrote to local, state, and national politicians to gain their support for making Mother’s Day a national holiday. Unlike Father’s Day, which took decades to receive national recognition, it only took 10 years for 46 states and other nations (including Canada and Mexico) to adopt the celebration.
Carnations became the official flower of Mother’s Day. Over time, white carnations became reserved for honoring mothers who had already passed on, while pink carnations represent gratitude and red carnations represent admiration.
(As for Mother’s Day cards, Anna Jarvis was so firmly against the commercialization of the day that she then lobbied for the end of the holiday.)
How to Honor the Memory of a Deceased Mother?
To honor her memory, then either wear a white carnation pinned to your lapel or place a white carnation bouquet in your home or on her grave.
How to Arrange Carnations
Carnations have an undeserved reputation as a cheap, filler flower. That’s not true at all! Arranged with style, they can have a romantic or vintage style to them. And since carnations come in a variety of colors, there’s no end to the color combinations!
For a stylish bouquet, skip the grocery store bouquets and head to your local florist for an arrangement. Or try arranging your own for that extra-personal touch. Look for any local or online flower arranging workshops for tips. Locally grown and organic flowers are a great environmentally friendly option!
Carnations will last two weeks with proper care. Change the water daily to prevent bacteria from growing. If you receive a wrapped or tied bouquet (as opposed to a pre-arranged in a vase), then cut the stems at a 45-degree angle before putting them in water. This helps the flowers absorb the water and last longer.
While carnations may be the official flower, they’re not the only option. Like Anna Jarvis, think of what your mother’s favorite flower is. She’ll appreciate the extra thought.