It’s the new year, which means it is time to celebrate the official flower of January birthdays – the carnation. This exceptionally versatile flower is often seen hanging around with roses and lilies, daisies and mums, offering its support in a variety of amazing colors. The official flower of first month birthdays is also the official flower of first anniversaries, as well as Mother’s Day – as long as on that day, the carnation is pink.

In order to properly acknowledge this interesting, yet largely under-appreciated flower, Nanz and Kraft has put together some fun facts about the carnation which may surprise you.

• Carnations are actually 100% edible, as long as they were grown organically (without pesticides). In many fine dining restaurants, the carnation has found its way into drinks and salads, however its bitter taste may not agree with everyone’s palette.
• If you mix food coloring into a vase of water and place a cut carnation into the vase, the flower’s petals will absorb the color and change hues.
• Bogota, Columbia produces the greatest yearly crop of carnations, followed by Israel, Kenya and Spain.
• While California and Colorado are the two states that grow the majority of carnations, it was Ohio who designated the scarlet carnation as state flower. The story says that President William McKinley, prior to his death, wore a scarlet carnation on his lapel for any public appearance; after his assassination in 1901, Ohio honored him by adopting the same flower as their own.
• The Colorado Flower Growers Association sent Mamie Eisenhower a huge bouquet of carnations each of the 8 years that she lived in the White House. It is said that she personally wrote and sent handwritten thank you cards.

Whatever the occasion – the carnation is an affordable and colorful flower that will bring a smile to anyone’s day, Whether delivered here in Louisville, across the state or across the country. Nanz and Kraft Florists looks forward to celebrating many moments with you in 2016.