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Carnations, Dianthus caryophyllus, are flowering herbaceous plants of the PINK family, Caryophyllaceae, which also includes SWEET WILLIAM and other popular, usually fragrant ornamentals. The carnation is native to Eurasia and has been cultivated for more than 20 centuries. An older English name for it is gillyflower. Some carnation varieties are grown outdoors, but many are greenhouse plants.

The carnation, as it is known in North America, is 0.6 to 1 m (2 to 3.5 ft) tall, has a brittle, slightly branching stem, narrow opposite leaves, and large terminal double flowers, usually ruffled or toothed. Predominant colors are red, white, and pink, but occasionally yellow or purple is seen.

Carnations can be propagated by planting young flowering shoots taken from the stems of mature plants or by planting terminal shoots after the flower is cut. The stem can also be bent into the ground to root. The plants need sun and well-drained soil. A rich loamy soil with some sand and a small amount of manure and leaf mold works well. Stem rots and wilt diseases can attack carnations.