The rose, a deciduous shrub in the Rosales order, Rosaceae family, and Rosa genus, is one of the most popular flowers. It thrives in sunlight, with its stems full of thorns and petals shaped like inverted eggs, either fully or partially double-layered.
Its blooming period is from May to September, presenting in white, red, pink, and yellow among other colors. The many meanings of a rose often depend on its color, but generally, any rose can symbolize love, honor, faith, beauty, wisdom, and eternity.
The rose not only has ornamental value but also serves as an economic crop. Its flowers are mainly used in food and for extracting rose oil, which is then used in cosmetics and other industries.
Basic Introduction
The rose (scientific name: Rosa rugosa Thunb.) is a deciduous shrub in the Rosales order, Rosaceae family, and Rosa genus. Its stems are full of thorns, leaves are pinnate with 5-9 leaflets shaped like ovals, and they have thorny edges.
The petals are shaped like inverted eggs, either fully or partially double-layered, presenting in purple-red or white.
Its fruiting period is from August to September, forming flat spherical fruits. Its branches are weak, soft, and densely thorny, with an annual flowering period that only occurs once, hence it’s rarely used for breeding. Recently, its resistance to disease and cold has been the focus of attention.
The rose is one of the most popular flowers. For centuries, roses have been highly revered. Historical evidence suggests that they grew in China about 5000 years ago and have played a role in history since then.
Whether for the Ancient Greeks, Romans, Christians, Freemasons, or others, the rose has always been an enduring symbol of love, beauty, and equality.
While each color expresses love, beauty, and balance a bit differently, the primary message remains love. Roses carry many different meanings depending on their color.
However, any rose can typically symbolize: love, honor, faith, beauty, balance, passion, wisdom, intrigue, dedication, debauchery, and eternity.
In European languages, the words for “rose” are the same, such as “rose” in English, “Die Rose” in German.
The rose is the national flower of 14 countries, including the UK and the US. In common parlance, “rose” has become a general term for various plants in the Rosa genus. Hybrid roses are indeed produced by crossbreeding different species within the Rosa genus.
Morphological Features
This type of plant is an erect, sprawling, or climbing shrub, most of which have thorns, prickles, or bristles, and rarely no thorns, with hairs, no hairs, or glandular hairs.
Leaves are alternate, odd-pinnate, rarely single-leafed; leaflets have serrated edges; stipules are adnate or attached to the petiole, rarely with no stipules.
Flowers are solitary or form umbels, rarely compound umbels or conical inflorescences; the calyx (flower base) is spherical, urn-shaped to cup-shaped, and narrowed at the neck; calyx lobes are 5, rarely 4, spreading out and arranged in a tiled pattern, sometimes feathery; petals are 5, rarely 4, spreading, arranged in a tiled pattern, and are white, yellow, pink to red; the flower disk surrounds the calyx aperture; numerous stamens are arranged in several circles around the flower disk; numerous carpels, rarely few, are attached to the inside of the calyx, sessile or rarely stalked, free; style is terminal to lateral, protruding, free or fused at the top; ovule is solitary, hanging down.
Achenes are woody, numerous or rarely few, attached inside the fleshy calyx forming a rose hip; seeds are hanging down. The basic chromosome number is x=7.
Varieties of Roses
Roses come in many varieties, including the Blue Charm, Louis XIV, Diana, Karola, Song of the Sea, and Big Peach Red. These roses are not only beautiful in form, but they also receive much admiration and affection from many people.
Blue Charm
The Blue Charm is a popular rose variety. Its blue petals are mostly the result of artificial coloring. The Blue Charm symbolizes deep kindness and compassion. Its blue petals, resembling the sky and sea, convey a sense of profound depth and breadth.
Louis XIV
Louis XIV is a highly treasured rose variety, primarily grown in France. Named after the French king, its blooms symbolize authority and nobility. The Louis XIV rose is black in color and has a distinctive rich fragrance.
Diana
Among the varieties of roses, Diana is a type of pink rose. Its petals are mostly pinkish-white, appearing tender and lovely, imparting a romantic feeling. It’s ideal to gift to a lovely girl, praising her for being as charming and heart-stirring as the Diana rose.
Karola
Red roses are quite common, and the widely distributed Karola is one of these rose varieties. Its color is vivid red, reminiscent of the passionate sincerity found in true love, making it an apt choice to express love to a significant other.
Song of the Sea
The Song of the Sea, with its light purple color, is a beautiful and elegantly colored rose. Its scent is not strong, but rather it has a faint aroma of tea. The Song of the Sea symbolizes romantic sincerity and can be gifted to a loved one to convey a sense of romance and genuine feelings.
Big Peach Red
The Big Peach Red is another popular variety among roses. Its message is “I have a bit of a crush on you, and my heart has been touched by you.” It is often used as a flower for couples to exchange, symbolizing the beauty and happiness of love between sweethearts.
Champagne Rose
The Champagne Rose has a uniquely delicate color, presenting an elegant freshness. It is a rose variety that represents a beautiful and special love. If someone gives you a bouquet of Champagne Roses, it signifies their love at first sight and their devotion to you for the rest of their lives.
Distinguishing Varieties
According to the classification in “Flora of China”, roses, Chinese roses, and roses all belong to the rose family, genus Rosa, subgenus Rosa. From a botanical taxonomy perspective, distinguishing roses, Chinese roses, and roses is not difficult for professionals engaged in botanical classification or related scientific work. However, it is a rather difficult task for general hobbyists. Western roses and Chinese roses are both usually referred to as “rose” in the West, but when introduced to China, Western Chinese roses were translated as roses, traditional Chinese roses were translated as Chinese roses, and climbing roses were translated as roses.
Roses
Commonly cultivated traditional rose varieties in China include the Bitter Water Rose (from the Bitter Water Town in Yongdeng County, Gansu Province), Pingyin Rose (from Pingyin County, Shandong Province), Damask Roses series, and Centifolia Roses (a French variety), with only about ten varieties in total. Only 7-8 varieties are cultivated on a large scale.
Chinese Roses
In Chinese taxonomy, the term Chinese rose generally refers to a plant with a strong rose fragrance, blooming once or several times a year (most rose varieties only bloom once a year, except for a few like the abundant-flowering series of roses from Pingyin, China, which can bloom several times a year). Roses generally have many thorns, with many flowers per bud. After a branch is cut, the flowers wilt very quickly, often in less than half an hour, making roses unsuitable as cut flowers. In addition, most rose varieties have a strong rose fragrance. Chinese roses are usually used for extracting rose essential oil, making rose tea, rose wine, rose sauce, and in pharmaceuticals. This is also known internationally as the traditional (old or traditional) rose or “Old Rose”.
Climbing Roses
In Chinese parlance, the term climbing rose typically refers to a variety with small, single or double flowers.
It’s usually a vine and is often used for greening and beautifying hedges, flower walls, and roads. Climbing roses generally bloom once a year, but they have a large number of flowers, making them visually pleasing.
Due to their large size, adaptability, and leafy branches, they serve as excellent hedges, providing not only aesthetic greening effects but also acting as a barrier, which makes them quite popular.
Many climbing rose varieties also have a pleasant fragrance, which can add a fragrant touch to their greening role.
Growth and Distribution
Growing Environment
Roses prefer abundant sunlight, and they are frost-resistant and drought-resistant. They prefer well-drained, loose, and fertile loam or light loam. They grow poorly and bloom less beautifully in clay soil.
It is best to plant them in a well-ventilated area far from the wall to prevent sun reflection from scorching the flower buds and affecting flowering.
Roses are photophilic plants. With ample sunlight, the color of the flowers is rich, and the scent is strong. If the sunlight duration during the growing season is less than 8 hours, the plant will grow tall and will not bloom.
The requirements for air humidity are not strict. Rust and powdery mildew occur when the temperature is low and humidity is high.
A certain level of air humidity is required during the flowering season, and oil production will decrease in high temperature and dry conditions.
Roses are not strict about the pH of the soil, they can grow normally in slightly acidic to slightly alkaline soil. In areas with snow cover in winter, they can tolerate low temperatures of -38℃ to -40℃, and they can also tolerate low temperatures of -25℃ to -30℃ in areas without snow cover, but they do not withstand the dry wind in early spring.
In areas where the soil has not yet thawed and the surface wind is strong, the branches are often dried by the wind; if the soil has thawed, the roots continuously transport water and nutrients to the stem, and the wind cannot cause serious harm. Irrigation conditions are needed in areas with a dryness of more than 4 for normal development.
Distribution Range
Worldwide
Originally from North China, as well as Japan and Korea. It is cultivated all over China. Distributed in East Asia, Bulgaria, India, Russia, the United States, Korea, etc.
Features of Roses
Roses belong to erect shrubs, up to 2 meters tall; the stem is thick and cluster-forming; the twigs are densely covered with fluff, with thorns and glandular hairs, and there are erect or curved, light yellow, skin thorns covered with fluff.
There are 5-9 small leaves, with a petiole length of 5-13 cm; the small leaf blade is oval or ovate, 1.5-4.5 cm long, 1-2.5 cm wide, the tip is sharp or rounded, the base is round or broad wedge-shaped, the edge has sharp serrations, the upper side is dark green, hairless, the veins are sunken and wrinkled, the lower side is gray-green, the midvein is raised, the veins are clear, densely covered with fluff and glandular hairs, sometimes the glandular hairs are not obvious; the petiole and leaf axis are densely covered with fluff and glandular hairs; the stipules are mostly adherent to the petiole, the free part is ovate, the edge has glandular serrations, and the underside is fluffy.
The flowers are borne singly in the leaf axils, or several are clustered, the bracts are ovate, the edges have glandular hairs, and the outside is fluffy; the flower stalk is 5-22.5 mm long, densely covered with fluff and glandular hairs; the flower diameter is 4-5.5 cm; the sepals are ovate-lanceolate, the tip is caudate, often with pinnate lobes and extended into leaf-like, the upper side has sparse soft hairs, the underside is densely covered with soft hairs and glandular hairs; the petals are inverted ovate, double petals to semi-double petals, fragrant, purplish-red to white; the styles are free, hairy, slightly protruding outside the calyx tube, much shorter than the stamens.
The fruit is flattened spherical, 2-2.5 cm in diameter, brick-red, fleshy, smooth, the sepals persist. Flowering period is May-June, fruiting period is August-September.
How to Cultivate Roses
There are mainly two types of cultivation methods for roses: one is pruning. This method requires high pruning techniques, slower flowering, high yield, and a lower proportion of commercial flowers. The second is the branch pressing method.
The pruning technique requirement is not high, the flowering is fast, the yield is low, and the quality of fresh flowers is good.
Land Preparation
Before planting, deeply turn the soil and disinfect the soil with chemical pesticides to fully mix the soil and fertilizer.
The ridges are 12 cm wide, the ditches are 40 cm wide, and the ridges are 5.5~6.0m long. The soil should not be too fine, as this can cause poor aeration, resulting in slow seedling emergence and later slow growth. Leave about 50 cm on the south side of the greenhouse.
Planting
There is no strict limit on the planting time, it can be planted all year round, and the better time is spring and autumn. When planting, plant 2 rows per ridge, with a row spacing of 40 cm and a plant spacing of 10~12 cm.
The spacing between the cultivation beds on both sides is 40 cm, with an average of 7~8 plants/m2, and about 63,000 plants/hm2 for seedling protection. The planting density varies with different varieties.
Management
After planting, cultivate the seedlings in time, and prevent and control red spiders, aphids, and powdery mildew.
When the plant grows to about 25 cm, start pressing the branches. The branch pressing operation should be done at noon on sunny days, otherwise, it is easy to break. It generally takes 5 years for roses to be planted, so fertilization should be done more and heavily.
Generally apply about 60t/hm2 of organic fertilizer, 750kg/hm2 of diammonium phosphate, 2250kg/hm2 of superphosphate, and the organic fertilizer must be fully rotted. Water the soil about 7 days before planting seedlings to keep the bed soil moist.
After planting, water in time, and the planting water must be thoroughly irrigated. From 12 to 16 on sunny days, sprinkle water 1~2 times a day to keep the bed surface moist.
Watering and topdressing should be done according to soil conditions, climatic conditions, and the growth status of branches and leaves.
During the cultivation of roses, if the soil moisture is insufficient, it will cause the normal leaves of the plant to fall off. When the ground is dry, water should be poured in time to keep the ground moist.
Propagation Methods
Seeding
This method is typically used for cultivating new varieties. Seeds collected in autumn are placed in plastic bags filled with moist sand and stored in an environment with alternating freezing nights and thawing days. After about a month, the temperature is gradually increased to around 20°C.
Once the seeds have sprouted, they can be sown (or kept in sand until spring for sowing). When the seedlings have developed 3-5 small leaves, they are transplanted.
Cutting
For softwood cuttings, select newly sprouted branches in early spring. Cut a small piece of the woody stem with a sharp knife, treat it with a growth hormone, and then place it in a cutting bed or a small pot.
For semi-hardwood cuttings, select rose branches that have just lost their flowers between June and September.
Trim the flower stem, flatten the base, and cut it into sections of 2-3 nodes. Remove the bottom leaf, trim any unhealthy and tender leaves, treat with a growth stimulant, and then insert into a bed under the same conditions as before.
For hardwood cuttings, cut the one-year-old mature branches before winter, cut them into sections of 2-3 nodes, bundle every 10 branches together, and bury them upside down in a hole (about 30 cm deep) in moist sand in a low-temperature greenhouse.
The top is covered with 5-10 cm of soil (must remain moist). In early spring the following year, the cuttings are inserted into the cutting bed.
For the hardwood water cutting method, select a semi-hardwood or hardwood branch with 1-2 leaves, cut the base flat with a sharp knife, and insert it into a water container. The branch is immersed halfway in water, kept at 15-20°C and exposed to sunlight to grow roots.
During the root-promotion period, the water in the container needs to be changed every 2-3 days. When the new roots’ skin turns light yellow or light brown, it can be carefully planted in a nutrient bag for cultivation.
Grafting
Bud grafting involves selecting full buds from the mother plant every 5-9 days, and grafting 1-2 buds onto a Pyrus ussuriensis or Rosa stock. They can also be grafted onto a long branch of the stock, with one bud grafted every 8-10 cm.
After grafting, each section with a grafted bud is cut and inserted into a sand bed or container, similar to the general cutting method.
Branch grafting can be performed in spring each year by cleft grafting, whip grafting, or side veneer grafting good varieties onto Rosa or Pyrus ussuriensis rootstocks.
Root grafting is performed during the dormant period in winter or spring. Inside, a scion is grafted onto a root of Rosa or Pyrus ussuriensis.
After bandaging, it’s pseudo-planted at the bottom of a medium-temperature greenhouse and kept moist. Once the graft heals, it can be potted or planted.
Layering
For ground layering, during the growing period of the rose, the rose branch is cut below the bud, bent and buried in moist soil. The tip of the branch sticks out of the soil. When new roots sprout from the cut and buried section, it can be cut and transplanted.
For air layering, choose an appropriate position on the rose branch, wound the branch or peel a ring of bark 1-1.5 cm wide.
At the peeled site, wrap a ball of soil 6-8 cm in diameter with bamboo tube or plastic cloth, and keep it moist. After about a month, when new roots sprout from the wound, cut it off and plant it in a seedbed or pot.
Division
Roses can generally be planted deep or with soil mound around the base, encouraging new roots to grow from each branch stem. When repotting, the side branch with new roots can be cut off to form a new plant.
Pest Control
Powdery Mildew
Powdery mildew mainly occurs on young leaves but can infect old leaves, flower stems, pedicels, and even branches.
When infected, leaves bulge, and the bulged areas turn pale with a powdery substance, the leaves curl as they develop uneven surfaces, and the fungus spreads, covering the entire leaf back with a gray-white mold. In severe cases, buds, pedicels, entire stems, and leaves are all covered with mold, and new buds and leaves curl.
The disease often occurs from late autumn to early spring when the temperature difference between day and night is significant and humidity is high. At night temperatures of 15°C and high humidity of up to 90%, conditions are ideal for the production, germination, and infection of fungal spores.
During the day, high temperatures of 27°C and low humidity of 40-70% are suitable for the maturation and dispersion of spores. When these conditions occur, preventive spraying should be carried out early. Powdery mildew spreads through air movement.
Control method: Regular spraying with fungicides such as 600 times dilution of triadimefon or 800 times dilution of carbendazim.
Spray once every 7-10 days, and frequent watering of the leaves can effectively reduce the occurrence of powdery mildew. Infected branches and leaves should be cut off as soon as possible to reduce the chance of further spreading.
Downy Mildew
Downy mildew mainly harms leaves, new shoots, stems, pedicels, and petals. It first infects growth points, turning leaves purple to dark brown. Infected leaves first show irregular small spots, then gradually wither or fall off, and diseased shoots dry up.
Flowers, pedicels, and petals show similar spots. In high humidity, a gray-white mold layer easily appears on all infected parts.
When dry, the pathogen is not visible, but when wet, a large amount of mold layer grows, i.e., sporangia and sporangium. It mainly occurs in greenhouses in spring and autumn.
If there is a significant temperature difference between day and night, the greenhouse is not ventilated, humidity is near saturation, leaves are dewy or there is dew on the leaves, the disease will persist longer and be more severe.
Control method: Choose disease-resistant varieties, provide careful care, keep the relative humidity below 85%, pay attention to ventilation, and avoid excessive nitrogen fertilizer. As soon as the disease appears, spray 72% chlorothalonil immediately.
Aphids
Aphids can occur all year round and are harmful in dry conditions. They should be eliminated as soon as they appear, especially during the period of vigorous growth of new buds.
Spraying various insecticides has a good control effect. The key areas for spraying are the growth points and the back of the leaves. Commonly used pesticides include aphid net, and using phoxim fumigation has a better effect, but it cannot be used after flowering.
Red Spider Mites
Red spider mites siphon chlorophyll from leaves, reducing the efficiency of roses’ photosynthesis, and spread rapidly, quickly damaging the leaves and halting plant growth. These pests are most common in the summer, particularly in hot and dry conditions.
At the first sign of infestation, a spray of a 600-fold solution of acaricide can be used, or a 1000 to 1500-fold solution of Acaricide Sharp can be applied for prevention and control, with good results.
Value and More
Primary Values of Roses
Medicinal Use
Roses contain over 300 chemical constituents such as aromatic alcohols, aldehydes, fatty acids, phenols, and fragrant essential oils and fats. Regular consumption of rose-based products can soothe the liver, stimulate the appetite, regulate qi and blood, beautify the skin, and refresh the spirit.
The newly bloomed flowers and roots of roses can be used medicinally to regulate qi, promote blood circulation, and provide astringency. They are commonly used to treat menstrual irregularities, trauma injuries, liver and stomach pain, and swollen and painful breasts.
The pulp of rose hips can be made into jam with a distinctive flavor. The fruit is rich in Vitamin C and Vitamin P and can prevent acute and chronic infectious diseases, coronary heart disease, liver disease, and the production of carcinogens.
Rose essential oil (known as rose water), extracted from rose petals using a distillation method, can activate male hormones and sperm. Rose water can also improve skin texture, and promote blood circulation and metabolism.
Nutritional Value
Roses contain a variety of trace elements and are high in Vitamin C. They can be used to make various snacks such as rose sugar, rose cakes, rose tea, rose wine, rose pickles, and rose paste. In some regions of Europe, roses are directly edible, with rose roots and stems being cooked, and the roots used to brew wine.
The mature fresh fruit of roses contains a large amount of Vitamins A, B, and C, as well as more than ten kinds of amino acids, soluble sugars, and alkaloids. Of these, Vitamin C is particularly abundant, with over 2000mg in every 100g, earning it the title of “King of Vitamin C”.
It also contains protein, fat, carbohydrates, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, iron, and magnesium. Its protein content is 8.5%, fat is 4.7%, soluble sugar is 1.2%, and carbohydrates are 68%.
The residue of rose flowers does not contain any harmful elements, but it does contain glucose (18.33% to 23.66%), starch (21.75% to 22.63%), and a rich array of amino acids, with the total amount of amino acids reaching up to 10.9%.
The red pigment extracted from the residue of distilled rose oil can be used as a food coloring. When used as a red colorant in acidic foods, its nutritional content is not destroyed. Additionally, rose residue can be used to produce soy sauce.
Fragrance
Roses are a source of fragrant oil, with rose oil extracted from roses commanding high prices on the international market. The price of 1kg of rose oil is equivalent to 1.25kg of gold, earning it the nickname “liquid gold”.
Certain special aromatic varieties, such as Chinese roses and Bulgarian damask roses, are grown specifically for the extraction of expensive rose oil or for use in sugared foods.
Rose oil extracted from the petals of bitter roses grown in Yongdeng County, Gansu Province, is used in the production of high-end fragrances and premium cosmetics.
Rose oil, with its pure composition and aromatic fragrance, is an irreplaceable ingredient in the world perfume industry. It is widely used in Europe to manufacture high-end perfumes and other cosmetics.
Rose water extracted from the waste material of rose oil, which contains no additives or chemical ingredients, is a natural skincare product with excellent anti-aging and anti-itching properties.
Furthermore, the bark of rose roots can be used as a yellow dye for silk and other fabrics.
Plant Culture
National/ City Flower
The rose, with its beautiful cultural symbolism, has long been recognized as a symbol of love, sympathy, or sorrow, and it is respected as the national or city flower by many countries around the world.
Internationally, this includes Botswana, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, the Czech Republic, Ecuador, Iran, Iraq, Luxembourg, and the Maldives, among others.
Symbolism of Roses
In Western culture, roses are considered a symbol of confidentiality. When a guest sees a painting of a rose above the host’s table, they understand that everything discussed at the table should be kept secret. This gives rise to the Latin phrase “Sub rosa,” meaning “under the rose”. The English equivalent, “under the rose,” originates from the German phrase “unter der Rosen.”
In ancient Germany, banquet halls, conference rooms, and restaurant dining rooms often had paintings or carvings of roses on the ceiling, reminding attendees to be discreet, keep secrets, and not reveal any conversations under the rose.
This originated from the Roman mythology where Horus stumbled upon the Goddess of Love, Venus, in a compromising situation.
Venus’ son, Cupid, in order to preserve his mother’s honor, gave Horus a rose, asking him to keep silent. Accepting the rose, Horus remained silent, becoming the “God of Silence,” which is why “under the rose” implies confidentiality.
The Language of Roses
Red roses symbolize love and romance, making them the perfect Valentine’s Day roses.
Pink roses represent gratitude, elegance, admiration, and joy.
Yellow roses symbolize friendship.
Purple roses represent romantic sincerity and precious uniqueness.
White roses symbolize innocence and purity.
Black roses represent gentle sincerity.
Orange roses symbolize passion and enthusiasm.
Blue roses represent kindness and goodwill.
Peggie was once a high school mathematics teacher, but she set aside her chalkboard and textbooks to follow her lifelong passion for flowers. After years of dedication and learning, she not only established a thriving flower shop but also founded this blog, “Flowers Library”. Here, Peggie shares the art and science of floristry, offers practical tips for nurturing plants, delves into the captivating histories of various species, and provides insights into running a successful flower shop. She hopes that everyone can take a moment now and then to immerse themselves in the world of flowers. If you have any questions or wish to learn more about flowers, feel free to contact Peggie.
