The Romantic History of the Rose

A Timeless Treasure: The Romantic History of the Rose

It is easily arguable that no single flowering plant has influenced civilization throughout history more than the rose. This flower, in all of its many varieties, has consistently been a central symbol for mankind in a wide range of areas, including mythology, art, religion, war, politics, medicine, music and love. With over 30,000 varieties in cultivation worldwide today, its beauty and fragrance still exert a powerfully historic sway over human emotions and creative outlets.

The Age of the Rose

Based upon fossil evidence found in Colorado and elsewhere, the rose genus is at least 35 million years old. The original rose habitat spread throughout all of the Northern Hemisphere as far south as Mexico, where some 150 different wild species can still be found growing in these areas today. The oldest identified wild rose still presently growing is the French rose, whose habitat ranges throughout central and southern Europe and western Asia. Although its exact origin has yet to be confirmed, traces of its presence appeared as early as twelfth century B.C. in Persian records that referred to it as a symbol of love. As near as anyone can determine, the human cultivation of roses began approximately 5,000 years ago in the area of Asia that is now China.

Ancient History

Throughout ancient history, the rose played a prominent role in everything from mythology to architecture. It was recorded in a Greek myth that it was Aphrodite who first gave the rose its name after it was created by the goddess Chloris. In an ancient Hindu legend, it was relayed that the god Brahma created the goddess Lakshmi from 108 large and 1,008 small rose petals. In ancient architecture, the rose played a central role in the detailing of sculptures, columns and wreaths for many civilizations throughout the world.

War and Peace

One of the more fascinating aspects of rose history is the prominence the flower gained as a symbol of excessive wealth and power as it became more widely cultivated. Confucius wrote in approximately 500 B.C. about roses growing in the Imperial Gardens. During the Han dynasty, these gardens grew so large that they threatened land needed for producing food. Not surprisingly, much the same thing happened during the Roman Empire. While peasants were starving, the rulers used much needed food land to grow roses so they could fill their baths and fountains with rose water, sit on carpets of rose petals during feasts and create perfumes. Later, the rose became a central symbol for both sides in the fifteenth century struggle for power over England during the War of the Roses.

Throughout the Ages

It is without question that the most enduring aspect of the rose throughout history has been its use as a symbol of love. From ancient times to the present, the rose has represented everything from undying devotion to friendship and everything in between. The rose always has been, and probably always will be, the ultimate symbol used to reflect love in stories, art and music.