May's flower of the month is the carnation, also known as the Dianthus caryophyllus. An occasionally sweet scented flower, which originally was only available in a bright pinkish purple, but can now be found in other colours like red, yellow, green and white as well. Its exact origins are unknown, but the Mediterranean region is often cited. However, nowadays, Colombia is the largest producer of carnations.
Carnations can consist of a single flower, or up to five in a spray. It has leaves up to 15cm long with colours ranging from a greyish green to blue-green.