Roses, which bloom in many different varieties in gardens all over the world today, evolved from rose-like plants that flourished in the northern hemisphere between 33 million and 23 million years ago. Oligocene fossil records from Europe, Asia, and western North America have revealed traces of these plants.
The climate at the time was mostly temperate, with plenty of bug life, which roses still enjoy now. Upon inspection, the five-petaled flowers, unusual oval serrated leaves, and colorful hips of the fossils set them apart from other plant remains.
Mythological Origins and Symbolism
According to Greek mythology, Chloris, the goddess of flowers, resurrected a deceased woodland nymph to produce a new flower. Dionysus, the god of wine and plant life, gave it a lovely perfume, and Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty and pleasure, named the rose by rearranging the letters of Eros, her son, and the god of love and desire.
Symbolism of Secrecy and Caution
Eros later offered a rose to Harpocrates, the god of silence, as a bribe to ensure he kept the gods’ transgressions to himself. As a result, the rose came to symbolize secrecy, stillness, and love. Roman mythology adapted this story, replacing the characters with their gods, Flora, Venus, Cupid, and Bacchus, while Harpocrates kept his Greek name.
Because of its relationship with secrecy, the rose has become a visual symbol of the need for caution. Stately mansions, courtrooms, and Catholic confessionals carved roses into their ceilings and walls to remind people to keep all conversations private. Since the Middle Ages, a rose has been hanging from the ceiling of a government council chamber to maintain the secrecy of deliberations. Consequently, sub rosa (“under the rose”) emerged as a quasi-legal term, still in use today, to denote confidential matters.
Unearthing the First Cultivated Rose
The Florissant Fossil Beds in Teller County, Colorado, USA, yielded the first scientifically documented rose species. In his 1883 scientific paper Contribution to the Fossil Flora of the Western Territories, paleobotanist Charles Leo Lesquereux described and named Rosa hillside, a simple rose-like specimen he had obtained from Hayden’s US Geological Survey and the Princeton Scientific Expedition of 1877.
Honoring Charlotte Hill: Pioneer of Florissant Fossil Beds
Charlotte Hill, an amateur paleontologist, was instrumental in drawing attention to the Florissant Fossil Beds. She and her family lived on the Petrified Stump Ranch, about 3 kilometers (2 miles) south of Florissant. Charlotte’s interest in fossils prompted her to collect several specimens of plants and insects from the area around their house. Her dedication culminated in the establishment of a modest museum as well as trips to notable geologists and paleontologists, to whom she graciously donated sections of her collection.
Evolution of the Rose
Rosa is a genus of perennial shrubs with approximately 150 species and thousands of variants. It is descended from a few Asian roses crossed with European and American wild species.
Categories of Roses
We divide roses into three categories: species (wild roses), Old World roses (introduced before 1867), and modern roses. Rosa hilliae was an early species with five single petals, and notable species include Rosa canina, Rosa pimpinellifolia, Rosa gallica, Rosa Carolina, and Rosa blanda.
Historical Domestication
China domesticated roses about 3,000 years ago for use in rosewater, perfumes, medicine, and festivals.
Modern Breeding and Varieties
Botanists and plant breeders have bred wild roses into the many garden varieties that exist today. While older roses are sturdy and fragrant, contemporary hybrids have longer blooming periods and more brilliant colors.
The Political Rose
Initially used as decorative elements, roses later acquired symbolic significance when they appeared in nobility symbols.
The White Rose of Eleanor of Provence
Roses were initially used as decorative elements, but they later acquired symbolic significance when they appeared in nobility symbols.
The Tudor Rose
Henry Tudor (Henry VII), a Lancastrian, became King of England following the end of the War of the Roses. His marriage to Elizabeth of York merged the red and white roses, resulting in the Tudor rose. Tudor architecture, furnishings, and portraiture all feature this twin rose, symbolizing a united kingdom.
The Rose as the US National Flower
In 1986, a popular vote designated the rose as the official national flower of the United States. In a special ceremony, President Ronald Reagan signed into law the Senate and House of Representatives joint resolution formally acknowledging the rose’s significance.
Early Rose Cultivation in the 15th and 16th Centuries
Between the 15th and 16th centuries, rose cultivation advanced dramatically as farmers began breeding and modifying types such as R. damascena and Rosa centifolia. The Dutch pioneers of this era merged at least four varieties of wild roses to improve Rosa centifolia, which is distinguished by its huge, double blossoms known as the ‘cabbage rose’ shape and vividly shown in Dutch Old Masters paintings from the 16th and 17th centuries.
The Golden Age of Roses
Joséphine de Beauharnais, Napoleon Bonaparte’s wife, launched a golden age of roses in the early nineteenth century by acquiring a massive collection at Château de Malmaison near Paris. Despite the challenges posed by the Napoleonic Wars and the Continental System, specific arrangements ensured the continuous shipment of roses from merchants across Europe, including England, through the English Channel blockades.
The Role of Pierre-Joseph Redouté and “Les Roses”
Joséphine’s vast rose collection inspired her to engage Pierre-Joseph Redouté, a well-known painter, to meticulously capture the blossoms. Redouté’s classic work, “Les Roses” (1817–1844), is a foundation for modern scientific research on garden roses. This collection initiated a period of rigorous rose breeding in France, leading to the development of numerous classic rose varieties currently in cultivation.
Jacques-Louis Descemet and the Spread of Rosa gallica
Jacques-Louis Descemet was one of the most prominent French rosarians during Joséphine’s reign. He was instrumental in popularizing Rosa gallica, a cultivar originally introduced by Dutch rose producers. R. gallica, sometimes known as the French rose, originated with the Persians in the 12th century, with the Dutch largely cultivating it by the 16th century, despite their original preference for R. centifolia.
The history of roses, from early experimentation with rose types to extensive cultivation and breeding during Joséphine de Beauharnais’s reign, depicts a journey distinguished by invention, artistic depiction, and cultural significance across centuries.
A Multitude of Hybrids
In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the introduction of repeat-flowering China roses to Europe transformed breeding. Crossings with Rosa gigantea produced the fragrant ‘tea rose’. Further hybridization with damask roses resulted in hybrid perpetual, which are known for their abundant and long-lasting blooms. These advancements paved the way for the widespread use of hybrid teas by the mid-nineteenth century.
Transatlantic Influences
Natural hybridization on Réunion Island led to the introduction of Bourbon roses to Paris, where they underwent enrichment through crosses with R. gallica. Meanwhile, in America, Noisette roses sprouted from crosses between China and musk roses. These roses are known for their climbing habit and persistent flowering, which contribute to the global diversity of rose varietals.
Emergence of Hybrid Teas and Floribundas
In the late nineteenth and mid-twentieth centuries, hybrid teas and floribundas transformed current rose cultivation. The Dutch Poulsen firm developed hybrid teas, which are compact shrubs with little double blossoms. They were the result of crosses between dwarf China roses and small hybrid teas, indicating a significant improvement in rose breeding.
