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familytreemd.org/flip 12 Washington FAMILY MAY 2021
celebration honoring all mothers.

That same day, she hosted a
similar event in Philadelphia.

Over the next few years,
as the number of Mother’s
Day celebrations across the
county increased, so did
the popularity of the white
carnation, which came to
symbolize a mother’s love.

(Thanks to Jarvis’ campaigning,
Mother’s Day became a national
holiday in 1914 under President
Woodrow Wilson.)
Decades later, another person
living in the White House
made carnations even more
fashionable: Mamie Eisenhower.

Callahan says the trendy first
lady popularized what’s called
the “peppermint” carnation —
a flower with elegant red and
white stripes.

“Mamie Eisenhower kind of
elevated the carnation from an
ordinary flower to something
special,” he says.

Traditionally, the colors of
the beautiful spring flower carry
different meanings on Mother’s
Day: white carnations honor a
mother who has died, while pink
ones celebrate a mother who
is living.

Carnations may be customary,
but another flower is starting
to steal the Mother’s Day
spotlight: roses.

Diana Mubarak, owner
of Little Shop of Flowers in
Washington, D.C., says that the
classically beautiful red flowers
are “by far” the most popular
purchase when May rolls around.

Roses also tend to be a fan
favorite for nationwide flower
chains, such as 1-800-Flowers.

The company says that
roses alone make up 35%
of its Mother’s Day orders.

Callahan also says roses are
popular in his shop as well as
hydrangeas and lilies.

Callahan believes that
carnations are sometimes
overlooked because they’re
simple and may seem cheap — or
like filler flowers — compared to
other options. However, it’s all
about arranging them well and
taking good care of them.

Carnations can easily last
two weeks, Callahan says. In the
store, he’s even seen them stay
alive for close to three weeks.

The secret? Avoiding bacteria.

That’s more important than
sunlight or any other factor, he
explains. Once bacteria from the
air land in your vase water, the
flowers will struggle to survive.

“The single best thing you can
do is change that water every
single day,” says Callahan.

But no matter if you go the
classic carnation route or opt
for an exquisite bunch of roses,
flowers will be a wonderful way
to show appreciation for the
moms in your life this May.

“It is a gift that is so special
because of the freshness of it, the
beauty of it and the fragrance of
it,” Callahan says. T
ALEKSANDARNAKIC/E+/GETTY IMAGES
Carnations may be
customary, but
another flower
is starting to
steal the
Mother’s Day
spotlight: roses.