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Carol J. Michel

Award winner author of gardening humor books

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What is a gilliflower?

March 5, 2013 By Carol Michel 7 Comments

Gilliflowers

What is a gilliflower?

I did not know so I looked it up in Johnson’s Gardeners’ Dictionary, edited by J. Fraser, F.L.S., F.R.H.S.  and A. Hemsley (London: George Routledge & Sons, Limited, 1917).  This is a new edition “based on the Original Edition of 1846, thoroughly recast and brought down to the year 1917”.

And I quote.

“GILLIFLOWER.  By some supposed to be a corruption of July flower, because the carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus) flowers in July. Other spellings are Garryophyllis, Gelovers, Gelouers, Gelyflours, Gilleflouce, Gilloflouce and Gilloflower. The French form of the word is GiroflĂ©e.  These names are evidently all corruptoins of Caryophyllus, the specific name of the Carnation, and that is derived from the Greek karoun, a nut, and phullon, a leaf, applied by the old Dutch to Caryophyllus aromaticus, not Eugenia caryophyllata, the clove of commerce. The name became applied to the Carnation on account of its clove scent, and by the French also to the Stock and Wallflower. In this country Gilliflower means the carnation only.”

From all this, it appears that the common name gilliflower can refer to carnations (Dianthus), stocks (Matthiola), or wallflowers (Erysimum).

I feel fortunate to have some gilliflowers, Dianthus, in my garden and I have seeds for gilliflowers, Matthiola, to sow this spring.  I consider both to be easy to grow flowers. 

Oh, and one more thing about gilliflowers… There is a sweet little garden fairy out in my garden named Gilliflower Silverleaf.  She’s responsible for adding scent to the Dianthus, I mean gilliflowers, that grow along the edges of the patio. 

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: books, fairies, flowers

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Christys Cottage Wildlife Garden says

    March 5, 2013 at 12:55 pm

    I love the scent of Dianthus, Wallflower and especially stock….it's just fabulous!!

    Reply
  2. Covegirl says

    March 5, 2013 at 1:08 pm

    I am of Greek descent, and I learned at a young age that the Greek word for carnation is garifalo.

    Reply
  3. Gail says

    March 5, 2013 at 1:08 pm

    I've often wondered what a gilliflower was~I first made their acquaintance in a Phyllis Whitney book when I was a teen.

    Reply
  4. Dee Nash says

    March 5, 2013 at 1:42 pm

    Thank you for telling us and for explaining that it could refer to any of those. Dianthus, of course, blooms here much earlier as does stock on it's biennial bloom.~~Dee

    Reply
  5. Kathy says

    March 5, 2013 at 11:37 pm

    So is it pronounced like the girl's name Jill or like the gill of a fish?

    Reply
  6. Carol Michel says

    March 6, 2013 at 1:12 am

    Kathy, it is pronounced like the girl's name "Jill", I pretty sure.

    Reply
  7. Jean Campbell says

    March 7, 2013 at 2:28 am

    Love Dianthus barbatus, have 2 dozen seedlings making up their minds to bloom, hopefully white but I'll take what I get from saved seed. Love 'Bath's Pinks' too.

    Reply

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