母親節發起人Anna Jarvis的母親生前最愛的花朵是康乃馨 ,而Anna曾於訪問中道:「The carnation does not drop its petals, but hugs them to its heart as it dies, and so, too, mothers hug their children to their hearts, their mother love never dying.」意思的是康乃馨的花瓣不會垂下,而是緊緊擁抱着花心直到死去,就像母親擁抱孩子一樣,她們的母愛永遠不會消減。