5 things you didn’t know about roses
Understandably, cut flowers might jump to mind when you think of roses for Valentine's. But a rose plant is actually the more elite choice as far as romantic gestures go.
With Valentine’s day approaching, rose plants can make the perfect gift. We’re all familiar with their brilliant blooms and heady fragrance, but here are some things you might not know about the world’s most romantic flower.
- Roses are often named for occasions
- They can live for a very long time - the average life span of a rose is 35 years!
- The Rosa genus has myriad healing properties
- Symbols of love and affection
- Their scent defies gravity
1. A rose for every occasion
Roses aren’t just for Valentines day. With a such an abundance of names, you’ll find a rose for all your gifting needs - birthdays, anniversaries, or if you’d just rather say it without words. Roses are often named after people too, so with a bit of research you’re likely to find the right one for your gift recipient.
2. They really can be forever
If you’re searching for a plant gift that will last longer than a bunch of flowers, look no further. The earliest example of a fossilised rose was found in Colorado and dates back 35 million years. Currently, the world’s oldest living rose is over 1000 years old. Planted in the early 800s, the climbing rose at Hildesheim Cathedral in Germany has lived through many ups and downs, including being bombed in World War II. Your rosebush could even outlive you, although the average age of a rose plant is about 35 years. If that doesn’t say ‘ever-lasting love,’ we don’t know what will.
3. Health Benefits
Not only are they easy on the eye, Roses can be incredibly beneficial to our health. The petals are known to be anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and full of antioxidants and minerals. Rosehips are high in Vitamin C, and the oil extracted from their seeds has potent anti-aging properties. If you’re an allergy sufferer, the flowers have very low levels of pollen so shouldn’t give you hayfever. The scent of Roses can even be mood-boosting - a powerhouse of a plant!
4. Symbols of Love
Did you ever wonder why roses are so romantic? According to Greek mythology the rose was created by the goddess of love Aphrodite, and the Romans believed the rose was sacred to Venus.
5. Scent in Space
Not all roses have a strong scent, but when they do your olfactory senses will be tingling. Much sought after for their fragrance, roses have one of the most classic perfumes in the floral world. In 2002, a miniature rose called ‘Overnight Scentsation’ was sent to space to test how gravity affected fragrance. They discovered that it did still smell (for future reference).