The Cabinet of Scents explores the rich tapestry of intersections between aromatic substances and human history; how these fragrant materials have shaped our ritual and religious practices, political spheres, beauty and hygiene regimens, and folk and modern medicine. We hope this monthly series helps kindle the flame you carry for fragrance and inform you on the hidden history of perfume.
Who says the carnation has gone out of style? Today, this blushing, frill-frocked stem is one of the most commercially grown flowers in the world—a legacy carried for thousands of years by the reigning symbol of admiration, endurance, and revolution.
The lineage of the carnation is a little muddled. So widespread is this easily-recognized, jagged flower, that experts are unable to trace its exact origins, but some of the earliest mentions date back to ancient Greece, some 2,300 years ago. The Greek botanist Theophrastus, a student of Aristotle, coined the genus dianthus by combining the Greek words dios (divine, or of the gods) and anthos (flower), translating the name to "flower of the gods".
The word carnation is believed to originate from the Latin corona (crown/wreath), as they were used in Greek ceremonial crowns, or from carnis/caro (flesh), after its original deep red colouring.
One origin legend says that Diana, Roman goddess of the hunt, wild animals, and fertility, came upon a shepherd boy and took a liking to him. Unfortunately for him, he turned her down, and Diana, not known for her mercy toward men, ripped out his eyes and threw them on the ground, wherefrom sprouted the first, blood-red carnations. The French name for carnations, oeillet ('little eye'), may originate from this legend.
Carnations have a profound spiritual significance in the Christian tradition, because they were believed to have sprung from the earth where Mary’s tears fell as she wept for Jesus while he carried the cross. Consequently, it is considered a symbol of undying maternal love and, in the early twentieth century, it became the official flower of Mother’s Day. In Canada, it was customary to wear a red carnation if one’s mother was still alive, and a white carnation if not.
The English herbalist Culpeper wrote in 1650 that the carnation "resists pestilence, strengthens the heart, liver and stomach, and provokes lust."
As for metaphysical correspondences, the eternal carnation is governed by the Sun, as suggested by its radiant appearance, and thus is ruled by the element of Fire. It is equally associated with the sign of Capricorn and its corresponding archetype in the tarot, The Devil - symbol of challenging the status quo, of revolution.
Near the peak of the Cold War, the longest dictatorship in Western Europe was overthrown in a coup called “the Carnation Revolution." Thus began a revolutionary process which led to a democratic Portugal and independence for Portuguese overseas territories. Citizens and soldiers who sympathized with the wish to end the military dictatorship were seen in the streets with red, frilled flowers stuck in the end of their gun barrels and even in the muzzles of tanks.
Long cherished in classic and natural perfumery, carnation evokes a vintage sophistication—an aromatic bridge between radiant florals and warm, ambery resins. It enhances compositions with its bold, yet powdery warmth, and yields charismatic notes of honey and spice with a breath of floral languor.
Most modern-day carnations have been bred for longevity and other aesthetic concerns, but have lost the clove-like scent for which they were initially coveted.
In China, carnations are known as Qu Mai (瞿麦). They have been used to relax and to recover energy in the body, relieve rheumatism and arthritis, and help detoxify harmful bacteria in the stomach. Tea made from carnation petals has been used to relieve stress and nervousness, reduce inflammation and balance hormones, amongst other ailments.