"The rose is probably the most seductive of flowers."
Of Asian origin, at least 4 thousand years before Christ, the Assyrians, Babylonians, Egyptians and Greeks already used this flower in decorations, to care for the body and in baths.
Besides decoration (in bouquets, bunches, crowns, etc.) roses are used in the production of cosmetics, medication and infusions for aromatic teas.
There are thousands of known varieties of roses. Empress Josephine, enamored with roses, contributed to the popularity of the rose in the modern period. In her garden, in the “Chateau de Malmaison”, she had one of the largest collections in Europe which never ceased in grow until her death in 1814. It was also in France that, in 1816, the first Hybrid Perpetual appeared – the “Rose du Roi” – produced in the royal gardens in Sèvres, in Paris.
Continuous flowering and the staggering beauty of these flowers, as well as a robust growth and a hardy immune defense against diseases, are some of the greatest concerns by producers since the beginning of their cultivation. Through complex and persistent “hybridizations”, roses were improved and today the majority of commercialized species have a long flowering period and are very resistant to diseases.
The rose (rosa x grandiflora) is the most important species in the rose family, the rosaceae. An interesting characteristic of this family is that all rose species possess perfume and taste.
All together, 126 original wild species resulted, with the passing of the centuries and the intervention of civilization, in more than 30 thousand hybrids, now spread throughout the world.
We have selected a series of images of beautiful roses. See and delight yourself!
Pinna: Individual section, generally known as follicle, of a very segmented leaf or frond. Used in the description of fern fronds. (Also see frond, follicle, pinnate).