January birth flowers: carnation and snowdrop
The traditional birth flowers for January, what they meant in the Victorian language of flowers, and how to grow them.
Carnation
Dianthus caryophyllus
The wild carnation is a clove-scented perennial with grey-green leaves and flowers in shades of pink and purple. Many garden and florist carnations were bred from it, in many colors. (RHS)
In the language of flowers
In Greenaway’s dictionary, the carnation pink means “Woman’s love”. A striped carnation meant “Refusal”, and a deep red one “Alas! for my poor heart”. Dumont gives “Pure love”.
Growing it
Grow in full sun in well-drained soil, including chalky soil. It flowers in summer and is hardy through most of the UK.
Take care: A skin allergen for people and pets: wear gloves when handling. (RHS)
Sources: RHS
Snowdrop
Galanthus nivalis
A small bulb about 15cm tall, with narrow grey-green leaves and single, nodding, fragrant white flowers; the short inner petals are tipped with green. (RHS)
In the language of flowers
“Hope” (Greenaway, Dumont).
Growing it
Plant in partial shade in humus-rich soil that stays moist but drains well and doesn’t dry out in summer; it does especially well under deciduous trees. It flowers in late winter (February in Missouri) and is hardy in USDA zones 3 to 7 and in most places in the UK, even in severe winters.
Take care: Harmful to people, dogs and cats if eaten: wear gloves when handling. (RHS)
Sources: RHS, Missouri Botanical Garden
About birth flowers
Birth flowers are a tradition, not a rule: lists vary a little, and no one body sets them. The meanings here come from two Victorian flower dictionaries, Kate Greenaway’s Language of Flowers (1884) and Henrietta Dumont’s The Language of Flowers (1851). Both are free to read on Project Gutenberg.
How each flower looks and grows comes from the Royal Horticultural Society and the Missouri Botanical Garden, linked under each flower. Where US and UK names differ, the US name comes first.