Where Are Carnations Grown?

History

• Carnations have been cultivated for thousands of years, and were used in garlands during the Greek and Roman era more than 2,000 years ago, according to the University of Vermont website. The first carnations imported to the United States came from France in 1852.

Geography

• According to the University of Vermont, most American carnations were grown in the northeast until the middle of the 20th century. Since then, the majority of American carnations are grown in Colorado and Southern California. People also grow carnations in their home gardens. Wherever they are grown, these hardy plants require six to eight hours of sunlight per day and moist, but well-drained soils to thrive. They do do not grow well in areas with high temperatures combined with humidity Carnations continue to produce new flowers when old, dead flowers are cut away during its growing season. .

Significance

• The world's top producer of carnations is Bogota, Colombia. According to the Trade and Environment Database at American University, Colombia is responsible for providing the United States with 4/5 of all its carnations. That doesn't mean international carnation cultivation is limited to Colombia. According to the University of Vermont, they are also grown in Kenya, Israel and also Spain, where the carnation is the national flower.