Rose Awareness Week is coming to an end, so what better way to round it off than to celebrate some of the most interesting facts about these beautiful blooms?
1 – Fossilised Flowers
Roses have been around for a very long time. At least 35 million years in fact. A fossil has been found in Colorado, USA, that was 35 million years old, of a rose!
Notably, they have come a long way since then, but who knows how far back they really go?
2 – A rose between two prickles
You’ve heard the saying: ‘a rose between two thorns’? Well, it may not be completely botanically correct. A thorn is a sharp, pointed, modified branch or stem.
A prickle is alternatively a growth from the skin of a stem. It grows from the epidermis, and this is technically what develops on roses!
3 – A rose by any other name…
The rose family, Rosaceae, involves a very diverse collection of plants, and some of them might surprise you. Not only does it include the beautiful blooms we know so well, but it has also got some fruit involved!
Food items like apples, cherries, strawberries, raspberries, and plums all belong to the Rosaceae family.
4 – Perpetual Petals
The oldest known rose plant living today has really surpassed all the odds. Grown in the grounds of the Cathedral of Hildesheim in Germany from the year 815 AD, this rose is over 1000 years old.
It even survived the cathedral suffering bombing damage in 1945. There is a legend in the area that Hildesheim will thrive for as long as the rose survives.
5 – Legendary Love
Ancient Greek mythology has an interesting legend about the origin of the rose. According to the myth, the Ancient Greek goddess of love, Aphrodite, found her lover Adonis wounded after hunting.
When she wept, her tears mixed with Adonis’ blood. The beautiful rose was the product of this union!
6 – How many?!
Roses can be grown in many ways, such as rambling, climbing, shrub, patio, and many more. What you might not realise, is that there are more than 30,000 different and individual varieties of rose to be found around the world!
7 – A right Roman celebration
The Romans really knew how to create a beautiful celebration. When Roman couple married, they would often be crowned with roses at their wedding.
Also, Emperor Nero was renowned for showering his guests with rose petals at dinner parties! He did this to mark a celebration of enjoying each other’s company.
Many use dried rose petals now to celebrate weddings.
8 – Boozy Blooms
Not only did the Romans use roses to beautify their parties, but they believed that they had a practical use also.
They would place roses in their glasses of wine, not for aesthetics, but because they believed this helped to suspend drunkenness!
9 – A surprising snack
Did you know that all roses are edible? Not only that, but they can actually be extremely good for you! Containing vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin K, alongside phytonutrients with antioxidant properties, they can provide quite a health boost.
Also, you can enjoy them dried and used to make rose tea or as a garnish on cakes.
Just ensure to only pick rose petals that have not been sprayed with pesticides.
7 – What is the meaning of this?
Each shade of rose petals is thought to have its own individual meaning:
Pink – Grace and Elegance
Red – Love and Romance
Orange – Enthusiasm and Energy
Yellow – Friendship and Cheer
White – Purity, Innocence, and Spirituality
So not only are roses beautiful, but they are interesting too! Additionally, these wonderful flowers are bound to be found in gardens for many years to come.
Learn the best way to deal with Black Spot on roses:
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David Domoney is a Chartered Horticulturalist, Broadcaster, and Author. David has worked with a number of the UK’s leading garden retailers as a plant buyer and strategic consultant. With more than 30 years experience, in horticulture, David is as passionate about plants now as he was when he bought his first plant at a village fete.
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