After roses, carnations are the second most used flower in the bouquets that are sold. Since ancient times they have been used to make various medicines, for stomach illnesses and to bring down fever, and for a long time they were used to calm the nervous system. They have many other uses as well.
Kurdish name
Carnations (gulên mêxik) are not the same as cloves (mêxek, also called qerenfil), which are used as a spice. Cloves come from the clove tree and are very different; see the article on the clove.
English name
Carnation; other common names include pinks and sweet williams.
Number of species
This family has 340 flowering species.
Season
The flowers generally open at the end of spring and last until autumn, if the weather is mild and favourable.
Written by Weysî Silêman Elî · Last updated 28 September 2026
