Who lives or has lived in Portugal knows that the carnations have a great meaning for the Portuguese people because of its proximity to the Revolution that happened on April 25, 1974. If you want to know a little more about this revolution read our previous article.
The carnation is a plant that belongs to the family Caryophyllaceae and can reach up to one meter in height. This plant comes from southern Europe and in ancient Greece was used for ceremonies, being very famous in both Greek and Roman mythology. Nowadays there are more than 300 different species of carnations.
The flower was originally pinkish purple, but the best known in Portugal are red or white. It is a flower with multiple petals cut at the ends giving it a very unique characteristic.
Due to the great evolution of this plant there are perennial species,which means that can grow at any time of the year, however, the most usuall is to grow in spring and summer.
Some carnations have sent and therefore are used for creating perfumes. This flower is also very useful for combating insects that feel repulsed by the smell of the plant.
Apart from the great connection of the carnations to the Revolution, these also have another symbolism in Portugal. The red carnations symbolize the mothers in life and the white ones the mothers who have already left.
Written by: Francisca Rehbein
Translated by: Francisca Rehbein
Photos by: Júlia Aguiar
Comments
Post a Comment