All About Roses

Roses are the most talked about flowers this week since they associated with Valentine's Day. To some people roses signify a really special occasion as well as a fragrant bloom to enjoy. But why are these beautiful blooms so very precious?

Rose history
A rose is one of the oldest flowers known to man and fossils of rose plants have been found from millions years ago. China was the first place in which roses were cultivated. Throughout history they have come to symbolize love, luxury, passion and pleasure. In ancient days roses were grown mostly in the Middle East were petals were used as confetti at celebrations and as a source of oil for perfume. Atar of Rose was one of the most prized perfumes of the ancient world. Atar is the essential oil extracted from rose petals and it takes several hundred pounds of petals for just a few ounces of oil.

After perusing just a small bit of rose history one can better understand why today more than ever when a red rose is given to someone it signifies that the person is very special. Brides carry roses, mothers are given roses when a new baby is born, wives are given roses on an anniversary and roses are given as a last tribute at funerals. Many an old fashion rose bush still blooms on an old site and the beautiful hybrids adorn sunny gardens in all their glory. The roses we buy out of season might be gown in a "hot house" as they use to be called or more than likely flown in from South America.

Valentine's Day is usually called rose madness. From small spray roses with are perfect for little corsages, tea cups arrangements and miniature baskets of blooms to pastel roses that open like a garden rose to long stem red roses, they are the most popular flower on February 14. Roses will be sold at food stores, convenience stores, gas stations, street corners and of course the florist shops.

Florists have long loved/hated February 14. It is a busy day in the midst of a slow time of the year, but it is a hectic day. All the other places selling roses have hurt their business to a degree most have to bring in extra people to keep up with the cutting, conditioning and vanish of roses on February 13 and 14th.

Hours of work go into preparing roses in a good flower shop. When the big boxes of roses arrives they are unpacked and the leaves are striped off, then the stems are cut, often under water before they are plunged into very clean pails of treated water. Floral life or some other powder, which both feeds the rose and keeps bacteria from forming in the water is added to the water in the correct proportions. Then they are left to drink and rehydrate because they are dehydrated from being shipped from some far off place.

Once the rose's thirst has been quenched it is placed in a cooler that is kept in the mid 30's. This keeps the rose at a stand still in maturing and aging. Roses can then be put in a vase or arranged. The time that goes into this chain of life processing is often more than half of the valentine preparation in a flower shop.

Most towns have several flower shops where this happens, with the florist often working late into the night getting flowers ready for a holiday. Because a rose stem dries over when it is out of water, most shops prefer selling them in a vase of clean, clear water than any other way.

Caring for Cut Roses
Once given a rose then the recipient has the responsibility of caring for this delicate bloom. For more than 25 years as a florist I have seen the Valentine 'rose madness' and hoped that the roses purchased by a boy for his first girl friend, or a man for his wife or a child for their mother will last a long time. There is a certain excitement when people choose a single long stem bloom or a dozen beautiful roses in a vase with baby's breath and a bow.

Most important is how to get the most life out of the roses. Vased roses usually last the longest as they are already cut and placed in treated water by the florist. Wrapped or boxed roses need a sharp cut, under water to insure a good pipeline in which the water can flow through the stem to the bloom. You cannot just unwrap a rose and put it in water because the stem has sealed over and water will not be taken up to the bloom.

Floral Life added to the water will both keep bacteria from forming in the stem and also feed the flower. Even roses freshly picked in the garden only last 4 or 5 days, so florist roses do best if kept cool, away from a heat source. When a rose begins to wilt, recut it (short) and enjoy it for a day or two more, then dry the petals to make potpourri.

I have even had folks tell me that they rooted the rose they were given for a special event. This is often easy to do, but I am not sure if all varieties are hardy outdoors. But it would be fun to try.

One little bit of trivia not necessarily connected with Valentine's Day, but yet important when discussing roses is their place in religious artwork and in churches. Statues of Mary often have a single rose or a vase of roses in front of them. Hymns liken her to a rose.

The Rosary derived its name from the rose hips, which were strung as prayer beads by the monks. Later rosary beads were formed from the fragrant paste of crushed rose petals. I have these beautiful beads from Spain where they are made today by nuns. I never cease to marvel at the true rose fragrance when I open up their case.

Roses are truly a bloom for all season and for all reasons. Poets have always written about them and singers will continue to sing about. Give someone special a rose soon to let him or her know you care.

Lorraine Kiefer is the owner of Triple Oaks Nursery and has been a garden writer since 1972. Click here to email her.