Changes

__NOTOC__{{Plantbox

{{SPlantbox

| color = IndianRed

|familia=Caryophyllaceae

| common_names = Carnation, Clove Pink

| growth_habit =  

|species=caryophyllus

| high = 80cm

|common_name=Carnation, Clove Pink

| lifespan = [[Perennial]]

|habit=herbaceous

| exposure = Sun

|Min ht metric=cm

| water = regular to dry

| features = Flowers, Fragrance, Naturalizes

| hardiness = Hardy

|lifespan=perennial

| usda_zones =  

|exposure=sun

| sunset_zones = best in 1-24, 30-45

|water=moderate, dry

|features=flowers, fragrance, naturalizes

| image = Mini Carnations-2826.jpg

|flowers=red, orange, yellow, purple, multicolored, pink, white, double

| image_width = 240px

|Temp Metric=°F

|sunset_zones=best in 1-24, 30-45

|image=Mini Carnations-2826.jpg

|image_width=240

}}

}}

Carnations are divided into two distinct categories, either florists' or border types.  All of them have bluish-green leaves branching stems and double flowers.  Stems have leaves and may become woody at the bottom with age.  Under cultivation for 2,000 years, the plant is thought to be native to the Mediterranean.  

Carnations are divided into two distinct categories, either florists' or border types.  All of them have bluish-green leaves branching stems and double flowers.  Stems have leaves and may become woody at the bottom with age.  Under cultivation for 2,000 years, the plant is thought to be native to the Mediterranean.  

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Carnation (Dianthus Caryophyllus, Linn.). Caryophyllaceae. Choice and popular flower-garden and greenhouse plants of the pink tribe; in North America grown mostly under glass as florists' flowers. PL XXII.

Carnation (Dianthus Caryophyllus, Linn.). Caryophyllaceae. Choice and popular flower-garden and greenhouse plants of the pink tribe; in North America grown mostly under glass as florists' flowers.  

The carnation is a half-hardy perennial, herbaceous, suffrutescent at base: height 2 ft.: st. branching, with tumid joints: lvs. linear, glaucous, opposite: fls. terminal, mostly solitary; petals 5, flesh-colored, very broad, beardless, margins toothed; calyx cylindrical, with scaly bracts at base. June-Aug. S. Eu.; occasionally met in the wild state in England, where it was intro. through cult. A single-fld, and undeveloped carnation is shown in Fig. 801. A section of a single fl. is depicted in Fig. 802, showing the 2 styles and the 5 stamens; also the bracts at the bottom, in 2 series, beneath the calyx. In Fig. 803 some of the beginnings of doubling are shown.

The carnation is a half-hardy perennial, herbaceous, suffrutescent at base: height 2 ft.: st. branching, with tumid joints: lvs. linear, glaucous, opposite: fls. terminal, mostly solitary; petals 5, flesh-colored, very broad, beardless, margins toothed; calyx cylindrical, with scaly bracts at base. June-Aug. S. Eu.; occasionally met in the wild state in England, where it was intro. through cult.

General development. (By Geo. C. Butz.)

General development.  

Theophrastus, who lived about 300 years B.C., gave the name Dianthus (Greek dios, divine; anthos, flower) to the group, probably suggested by the delightful fragrance. The specific name Caryophyllus (Greek, caryon, nut; and phyllon, leaf) has been applied to the clove-tree (Caryophyllus aromaticus), and because of the clove-like fragrance of the carnation this name was applied to it. The name carnation (Latin, carnatio, from caro, carnis, flesh) has reference to the flesh-color of the flowers of the original type. This plant has been in cultivation more than 2,000 years, for Theophrastus (History of Plants, translation) says: "The Greeks cultivate roses, gillyflowers, violets, narcissi, and iris," gillyflower being the old English name for the carnation. It was not, however, until the beginning of the sixteenth century that the development of the carnation into numerous varieties made an impression upon its history. The original flesh-color of its flowers was already broken up into red and white. The gardeners of Italy, France, Germany, Holland and England, with their respective ideals of beauty in this flower, contributed so many varieties that in 1597 Gerard wrote that "to describe each new variety of carnation were to roll Sisyphus' stone or number the sands."

Theophrastus, who lived about 300 years B.C., gave the name Dianthus (Greek dios, divine; anthos, flower) to the group, probably suggested by the delightful fragrance. The specific name Caryophyllus (Greek, caryon, nut; and phyllon, leaf) has been applied to the clove-tree (Caryophyllus aromaticus), and because of the clove-like fragrance of the carnation this name was applied to it. The name carnation (Latin, carnatio, from caro, carnis, flesh) has reference to the flesh-color of the flowers of the original type. This plant has been in cultivation more than 2,000 years, for Theophrastus (History of Plants, translation) says: "The Greeks cultivate roses, gillyflowers, violets, narcissi, and iris," gillyflower being the old English name for the carnation. It was not, however, until the beginning of the sixteenth century that the development of the carnation into numerous varieties made an impression upon its history. The original flesh-color of its flowers was already broken up into red and white. The gardeners of Italy, France, Germany, Holland and England, with their respective ideals of beauty in this flower, contributed so many varieties that in 1597 Gerard wrote that "to describe each new variety of carnation were to roll Sisyphus' stone or number the sands."

There have been many attempts at classification, but most of them, like the varieties they serve, have disappeared. Two of them are as follows: A French scheme arranges all varieties into three classes: Grenadins (Fig. 801), including those with strong perfumes, flowers of medium size, either single or double, petals fringed, and of but one color; Flamands, including those with large flowers, round and double, rising in the center to form a convex surface, petals entire, either unicolored or striped with two or more colors; Fancies, including those with colors arranged in bands on light grounds, the petals toothed or not. The English classification of these varieties makes four categories: Selfs, or those possessing only one color in the petals; Flakes. or those having a pure ground of white or yellow and flaked or striped with one color, as scarlet, purple or rose; Bizarres, or those having a pure ground marked as in the Flakes, but with two or three colors; and Picotees (Fig. 804), or those having a pure ground of white or yellow, and each petal bordered with a band of color at the margin. This last class has been regarded with the distinction of a race.

There have been many attempts at classification, but most of them, like the varieties they serve, have disappeared. Two of them are as follows: A French scheme arranges all varieties into three classes: Grenadins (Fig. 801), including those with strong perfumes, flowers of medium size, either single or double, petals fringed, and of but one color; Flamands, including those with large flowers, round and double, rising in the center to form a convex surface, petals entire, either unicolored or striped with two or more colors; Fancies, including those with colors arranged in bands on light grounds, the petals toothed or not. The English classification of these varieties makes four categories: Selfs, or those possessing only one color in the petals; Flakes. or those having a pure ground of white or yellow and flaked or striped with one color, as scarlet, purple or rose; Bizarres, or those having a pure ground marked as in the Flakes, but with two or three colors; and Picotees (Fig. 804), or those having a pure ground of white or yellow, and each petal bordered with a band of color at the margin. This last class has been regarded with the distinction of a race.

All the foregoing has reference to those types of carnations that are little known or grown in America at the present day; the varieties so common in Europe are usually kept in coldframes or coolhouses during the winter, and as spring approaches the plants are brought into their blooming quarters, for no flower is expected to appear until the month of July, when there is a great profusion of blossoms, but for a short season. Therefore, they can all be classed as a summer race. They are also grown permanently in the open.

All the foregoing has reference to those types of carnations that are little known or grown in America at the present day; the varieties so common in Europe are usually kept in coldframes or coolhouses during the winter, and as spring approaches the plants are brought into their blooming quarters, for no flower is expected to appear until the month of July, when there is a great profusion of blossoms, but for a short season. Therefore, they can all be classed as a summer race. They are also grown permanently in the open.

Development of the perpetual-flowering carnation (Remontant, Monthly, Forcing, or Tree). Figs. 805-807.

Development of the perpetual-flowering carnation (Remontant, Monthly, Forcing, or Tree).  

The perpetual-flowering race of carnation, which has been brought to its highest state of perfection by American growers, and which is generally regarded as the "American carnation," really originated in France, and was grown in that country from its origin in 1840 until about the year 1856, before it was introduced to America. A French gardener, named M. Dalmais, obtained a constant-blooming carnation by crossing (Eillet de Mahon, which bloomed in November, with pollen from (Eillet Biohon, crossing again with the Flemish carnation, the first-named sort being disseminated under the name "Atim." By the year 1846 varieties in all colors had been secured and the type permanently fixed. These were taken up and improved upon in quality by other enthusiasts, among whom were M. Schmidt and M. Alphonse Alegatiere, of Lyons, France. The latter succeeded in securing varieties with rigid stems which in 1866 were given the name "tree-carnation”. M. Schmidt's most prominent varieties were Arc-en-ciel and Etoile Polaire, which were grown for several years. But the strong rigid-stemmed varieties obtained by Alegatiere, which were termed tree-carnations in 1866, proved of greater value commercially, and became more generally cultivated. About the year 1852, a native of France who had settled near New York City, imported plants of this strain and cultivated several varieties for a number of years. About the year 1856 the firm of Dailledouze, Zeller & Gard imported plants of La Purite, a rose-colored variety, also Mont Blanc and Edwardsii, white, and Manteaux Royal, red-and-white variegated. These were used for crossing, and the first variety produced in America, about the year 1858, proved to be a great improvement on existing varieties. It was named "Mrs.Degraw," and with another white variety named "Flatbush’’, was disseminated about the year 1864. Other varieties followed, and the work was taken up by other growers, among whom were M. Donati, who raised Astoria, a yellow which is conceded to be the ancestor of all the yellow varieties grown today; Rudolph Heintz, who raised Heintz's White in 1876; Chas. T. Starr, whose most famous variety was Buttercup, introduced in 1884; Jos. Tailby, whose Grace Wilder became and remained the standard rose-pink variety until the introduction of Wm. Scott in 1893; John Thorpe and W. P. Simmons, who introduced Portia, Tidal Wave, Silver Spray and Daybreak in the eighties; Sewal Fisher, whose Mrs. Fisher appeared in 1890 and became one of the leading whites; E. G. Hill, whose most notable productions were Flora Hill, the leading white for several years, and America, a scarlet; R. Witterstaetter, who obtained Estelle, Aristocrat, Afterglow and Pres. J. A. Valentine; John Hartie, who raised the scarlet Jubilee; Peter Fisher, whose Mrs. Thos. W. Lawson, Beacon, and Enchantress with its several sports, became leaders in their respective colors; C. W. Ward, who disseminated Governor Roosevelt, Harry Fenn and Mrs. C. W. Ward.

The perpetual-flowering race of carnation, which has been brought to its highest state of perfection by American growers, and which is generally regarded as the "American carnation," really originated in France, and was grown in that country from its origin in 1840 until about the year 1856, before it was introduced to America. A French gardener, named M. Dalmais, obtained a constant-blooming carnation by crossing (Eillet de Mahon, which bloomed in November, with pollen from (Eillet Biohon, crossing again with the Flemish carnation, the first-named sort being disseminated under the name "Atim." By the year 1846 varieties in all colors had been secured and the type permanently fixed. These were taken up and improved upon in quality by other enthusiasts, among whom were M. Schmidt and M. Alphonse Alegatiere, of Lyons, France. The latter succeeded in securing varieties with rigid stems which in 1866 were given the name "tree-carnation”. M. Schmidt's most prominent varieties were Arc-en-ciel and Etoile Polaire, which were grown for several years. But the strong rigid-stemmed varieties obtained by Alegatiere, which were termed tree-carnations in 1866, proved of greater value commercially, and became more generally cultivated. About the year 1852, a native of France who had settled near New York City, imported plants of this strain and cultivated several varieties for a number of years. About the year 1856 the firm of Dailledouze, Zeller & Gard imported plants of La Purite, a rose-colored variety, also Mont Blanc and Edwardsii, white, and Manteaux Royal, red-and-white variegated. These were used for crossing, and the first variety produced in America, about the year 1858, proved to be a great improvement on existing varieties. It was named "Mrs.Degraw," and with another white variety named "Flatbush’’, was disseminated about the year 1864. Other varieties followed, and the work was taken up by other growers, among whom were M. Donati, who raised Astoria, a yellow which is conceded to be the ancestor of all the yellow varieties grown today; Rudolph Heintz, who raised Heintz's White in 1876; Chas. T. Starr, whose most famous variety was Buttercup, introduced in 1884; Jos. Tailby, whose Grace Wilder became and remained the standard rose-pink variety until the introduction of Wm. Scott in 1893; John Thorpe and W. P. Simmons, who introduced Portia, Tidal Wave, Silver Spray and Daybreak in the eighties; Sewal Fisher, whose Mrs. Fisher appeared in 1890 and became one of the leading whites; E. G. Hill, whose most notable productions were Flora Hill, the leading white for several years, and America, a scarlet; R. Witterstaetter, who obtained Estelle, Aristocrat, Afterglow and Pres. J. A. Valentine; John Hartie, who raised the scarlet Jubilee; Peter Fisher, whose Mrs. Thos. W. Lawson, Beacon, and Enchantress with its several sports, became leaders in their respective colors; C. W. Ward, who disseminated Governor Roosevelt, Harry Fenn and Mrs. C. W. Ward.

* [http://www.blueworldgardener.co.uk/articles/carnations_and_pinks.htm Carnations and Pinks Resources]

* [http://www.blueworldgardener.co.uk/articles/carnations_and_pinks.htm Carnations and Pinks Resources]

* [http://lib.colostate.edu/archives/agriculture/carnations/ Carnations and the Floriculture Industry: Records of the Colorado Flower Growers Association]

* [http://lib.colostate.edu/archives/agriculture/carnations/ Carnations and the Floriculture Industry: Records of the Colorado Flower Growers Association]