Carnation Coloring Pages

The Star of Mother's Day! The Cute Frilly Carnation

Carnation is a very fancy flower with lots of tiny petals layered together to look like frills. It is part of the pink family, and it has a sturdy stem with distinct joints. Along with red and pink, there are white and yellow ones too. There is even a special blue-purple Carnation named "Moondust"! You can see it at the flower shop all year long, but it is especially important for Mother's Day in May.

History of the Carnation and Mother's Day

Carnation has a very long history. People say that more than 2,000 years ago in ancient Greece, it was used to make crowns for the gods! The custom of giving it on Mother's Day started about 120 years ago in America. A woman named Anna Jarvis remembered her late mother (Ann) and handed out white Carnations at a church because her mother loved them. That spread all over the world, and it became the flower to show thanks to mothers everywhere!

• How it got its name: People say its name comes from "coronation," which means a crown of flowers, or "carnis," a Latin word for the color of meat.
• Different colors mean different things: Each color has a special meaning! A red Carnation means "love for mother," pink means "thankfulness," and white means "respect." Yellow Carnations can sometimes mean "dislike" or "jealousy," so be careful if you give them as a gift.
• Some kinds are edible: Lately, there are Carnations you can actually eat! They are called "edible flowers," and people use them to decorate food and cakes.

How to Grow Carnation and Its Secrets

Carnation loves the sun and grows happily in places with a nice breeze. To make Carnation from the flower shop last longer, cut the stem at an angle right above a node before putting it in water. That helps it drink plenty of water!

• Jagged petals: Petals with jagged edges are a big feature of the Carnation. Thanks to this, even a single flower looks very full and grand.
• Strong stems: The stem of a Carnation has "joints" just like bamboo. It is a flower with a lot of life power, and new buds can even grow from these joints.

How to Choose Colors

When you color the Carnation coloring page, try choosing colors while thinking about the person you want to give it to!

• Petal Colors: Try coloring with your favorite colors, like classic bright red, gentle pink, or cheerful orange. If you mix dark pink and light pink together in one flower, it will look deep and real.
• Stem and Leaf Colors: Carnation leaves and stems are special because they are not just plain green, but a slightly whitish, dusty green. If you mix in a little silver or light blue, it will look just like the real thing!
• Edges: If you color just the edges of the petals in a different color (like red edges on white petals), it turns into a stylish type of Carnation called a "Picotee".

Let's Make the Ruffles Look 3D!

The coolest part of a Carnation is its overlapping petals.

• Add Shadows: If you color the deep parts where the petals overlap with a slightly darker color (like dark red or purple), the petals will look like they are softly popping out.
• Think About the Zigzags: Sharpen your colored pencil and move it in zigzags along the outer edges of the petals. That way, you can easily show the ruffled texture that makes a Carnation look so special.

Add a Message

Try writing words like "Thank you for everything" or "I love you" in the empty space on your coloring page. The Carnation you colored with all your heart will make them happier than any real flower!

Did People Use Different Colors Depending on Their Mother?

When Mother's Day first started, people whose mothers were doing well wore a "red Carnation" on their chest. People whose mothers had passed away wore a "white Carnation". But today, so no one feels sad, people give any color they like, no matter how their mother is doing!

The World's Very First "Blue" Carnation

Blue Carnations did not exist in nature. But using science in Japan, the world's very first bluish-purple Carnation named "Moondust" was created! It has a wonderful flower meaning: "eternal happiness."

Carnation is the "Flower of the Gods"

Its scientific name, "Dianthus," means "flower of the gods" in Greek. This shows it has been loved as a very noble flower since long ago, even used in special ceremonies and royal crowns!

They Love Water, but Don't Get Them Wet?

A Carnation drinks a lot of water, but it does not like getting its petals wet. If water touches the petals, they can get damaged. So when you water it, the trick to make it last long is to water near the bottom of the stem!

Strong Enough to Bloom for a Whole Month

A Carnation stays fresh much longer than other flowers. If you put it in a cool place, use flower food, and take good care of it, it can stay pretty and lively for two weeks, or even almost a month!

It Is Actually Related to the "Pink" Flower!

Flowers that have been in Japan for a long time, like the "Kawara Nadeshiko" (pink flower), are close relatives of the Carnation. If you look closely, the leaf shapes and stem joints look just the same! You could say a Carnation is a "Western Nadeshiko."