It is almost St. Patrick's Day! Here are some fun facts about this holiday. 

DID YOU KNOW 

that St. Patrick wasn't Irish at all? He was a British Missionary who brought Christianity to Ireland. After his death, he was named the Patron Saint of Ireland. Each year, on his death date of March 17th, a Festival of St. Patrick is held - what we now celebrate as St. Patrick's Day. 

Here are some of the most used flowers during St. Patrick's Day and what they symbolize: 

GREEN CARNATIONS:

You have probably seen green carnations at every corner, flower shop, or even grocery store once March comes in but this was not a big thing until the 1900s. The carnation's scientific name is "Dianthus" which was derived from two Latin words: "Dios", meaning "Gods", and "Anthos", meaning "flower": flowers of the Gods. The white carnation has traditionally symbolized good luck, so the green carnation is a natural fit for St. Paddy's Day.

GREEN BUTTONS & GREEN SPIDERS:

Green spider mums and Athos spray poms are a great addition to any St. Patrick's Day arrangement. These flowers also bring a bright-green touch to a St. Paddy's Bouquet. Chrysanthemums generally symbolize optimism and joy.

GREEN TRIX:

Trix is part of the Dianthus family. These furry, moss-like flowers add an earthy, playful feel to any arrangement. It reminds us of Dr. Seuss's books. Their size varies from slightly bigger than a golf ball to a softball size flower.

BELLS OF IRELAND:

Also called "shell flowers", Bells of Ireland aren't actually Irish at all, but are native to western Asia. The stalks of tiny white flowers surrounded by green calyces have a spicy, peppery scent.

SHAMROCKS:

From four-leaf-clovers to leprechauns and pots of gold, when you think of "luck" you think of the shamrock. 

But there's an even more interesting reason to use this flower on St. Patrick's Day: It's said that St. Patrick himself used the leaves of the shamrock to represent the Holy Trinity. The shamrock has been used as the symbol of Ireland since the 18th century, but its history in Ireland goes even further back: The ancient Druids honored the shamrock as a sacred plant, believing it had the power to turn away evil spirits.

We hope you learned something new today! Come back here for more fun flower trivias!