Since Americans started celebrating Mother's Day in 1907, carnations are believed to be the flowers associated with mother’s day. In early years, churches started to gift mothers the Carnations over the Mother’s Day.
Carnation was chosen to be given to mothers because it sends the message of all the good qualities of a mother like endurance, purity and sweetness. Even the color of Carnation is specified for as those whose mothers are alive should wear red Carnations while those who have lost their mothers should wear white Carnations.
The other reason why Carnation is chosen is for its special quality that its petals, even after the flower dies, continue to stay on with the flower, symbolizing the everlasting love from a mother to her children that carries on long after her death.
Here is the list of some flowers that are most appropriate for mother’s day and are gifted widely:
- Aster – Charming variety
- Chrysanthemum (Red) – I love you
- Daisy – Innocence and the sharing of sentiment; reciprocation of love
- Stock- Lasting beauty
- Myrtle – Love
- Orchid – Refinement, luxurious beauty
- Roses (Red & White together) – Warmth of heart
- Snapdragons – Trust, hope, conviction
- Tulips (Red) – A declaration of love
- Lilly (White) – Sweetness
- Zinnia (Magenta) – Thoughts of love for those not present
- Freesia – Sweetness, Friendship, and trust.
- Iris – Faith, Courage, Wisdom, Admiration, Hope
- Bluebells - everlasting love
- Forget-me-nots - faithful love
- Moss - unusual, but it symbolizes maternal love
- Orange blossom - eternal love
- Snapdragons (or Antirrhinum) - a gracious lady
- Stock – lasting beauty