Rose, Symbol of Love and Beauty

Around the world, roses are symbolic of love and beauty. Their silky petals open to reveal a center full of stamens. Their thorns and slightly leathery green leaves protect the blooms, which are generally abundant. If the rose is wild, or allowed to freely branch or twine as in climbing roses, the flowers likely have single petals. Thus, you can count the petals on one hand — one for each finger. Cultivated roses, on the other hand, are usually multi-petalled, their blossoms luxurious.

Traditionally, four of the cultivated roses have been chosen for their scent and therapeutic properties.

Heavenly Scented Roses

Sources differ as to the number of roses in existence — or should I say that writers make different claims on the number and kinds of roses.

According to author Jennifer Rhind, there are 150 different species, or kinds, of rose. Of these, a few are highly aromatic, possessing heavenly scent. In particular, one has the botanical name Rosa gallica. Author Rhind cites Gallica, or the Apothecary Rose as the most ancient, the oldest ancestor of roses like Rosa damascena and Rosa centifolia. These three — Gallica, Damascena, and Centifolia — are the triad of species that perfumers use to make the scents we clamor for. And they also contain the most value, therapeutically, in aromatherapy.

Rose Bud Medicine

If Roses were not venerated and adored for their scent only, and were not cultivated for perfume, then wherever they grew in the wild, rose flowers, leaves, and buds were considered medicine or food. Humans were aware of roses during their hunter-gatherer times of the past. Later, Roses were identified as an herb in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Although not the only ancient culture to ascribe such benefits, the Chinese knew Roses as a calming herb and edible flower. Rosa rugosa, also called Japanese Rose, has the name Mei Gui Hua in Chinese medicine. Mei Gui Hua has several common names — including the seaside Rose, or Japanese Rose, and is known to help calm irritations, especially of the body’s circulation.

“Roses regulate the body’s energy and reduce stagnation (congestion).”

—Michael Tierra, on the herb Rosa rugosa, p. 140 of Chinese Traditional Herbal Medicine, Vol. 2

“Mostly from the essential oils (or extracts), Roses have anti-hypertensive, anti-diabetic, anti-anxiety, hypnotic, anti-inflammatory, nerve-calming, and mood-boosting effect …”

— Maria Noel-Groves, on Rosa species, p. 158, in her book, Body into Balance

According to Western herbalists, Rose is antidote to heat and inflammation, a classification probably handed down from Greek medicine.

“Rose acts on heat in the digestive tract, including diarrhea, dysentery and stubborn inflammatory conditions.”

—Matthew Wood, on Rosa canina, p.422 in The Earthwise Herbal

For Western herbalists, and indeed herbalists all over the world, heat occurs with an imbalance of energies. An imbalance of energies is explained in different systems of traditional medicine, both Western and Eastern. Energy imbalance is supported by local herbs from a geographic region and culture. When out of balance, a return to balance is most often achieved by food and drink according to the advice of many of these traditions. In other words, food and drink are known sources of health, and preferred to medicines. This may explain why so many cultures adopt an herbal ingredient as food, knowing that it may re-regulate a person’s balance and thus their health may be restored.

Aromas of Roses

Distilled or extracted** Rose petals combine well with the aromas of other flowers, fruits, woods, resins, seeds, or leaves—in fact just about all other scented plants. If you chose to blend Rose with another scent, you could combine Rose and Sandalwood essential oils to create an attar, or perfume, in the manner of the early perfumers of India.

The aromas of Roses reach us first through our senses, our psyche or emotions. Influencing our nerves, the Rose alleviates discord and thus quells pain and agony. Imagine! All from a flower!

Reminding me that Rosa damascena means so much to us, author Phillippe Mailhebiau speaks of the heart. If we reduce the exquisite presence of Damask Rose to medical uses, we’re likely to overlook its true capacity, which may seem subtle, at first. He writes, “Rosa damascena is above all a balm to the soul, affording each one of us what we hope to derive from it.” (p. 266 in Portraits in Oils by P. Mailhebiau, 1995).

And yet, Rose oil is added sparingly, as her aromas are voluminous and intensifying. A Rose amplifies another flower’s scent, the one you’ve combined with her. Madny Aftel describes how the scent of roses embrace the aromas of other flowers “with full-bodied, unthreatening beauty.” Then choosing well, we might augment a particular sensation.

Of many possible combinations, here are three:

Rose, Neroli and German Chamomile offer a tender aroma to the heart.

Rose, Cinnamon leaf, and Clove Bud reduce painful movement.

Rose, German Chamomile, and White Magnolia soothe away congestion.

“The rose flower symbolizes perfection”…

—Jennifer Peace Rhind, p. 300 on Roses, in Fragrance and Wellbeing.

Mandy Aftel wrote that “Rose is the ultimate heart note…” She describes roses as the heart of a blend. And this notion is expressive of perfume blends having hree basic notes—the top, heart, and base. (p. 110)

Rose otto, the essential oil of Rose is really expensive, out of reach for casual use. Yet versions of rose aromas, called absolutes or concretes are less costly and more available.

You’ll find labels on bottled Rose absolute that indicate Bulgarian, Turkish, Indian, Morrocan, or Egyptian origin. These names indicate the places where the species Damascena (Damask), or Centifolia, reserved for perfumes, are grown.

The Rose Garden

Part of the reason we have so many types of roses is that rosarians cannot resist crossing one flower with another to arrive at a rose cultivar—a reproducible flower or plant type that has certain, prescribed characteristics. Two such results of plant breeding are named roses such as Rosa damascena ‘Kazanlak’ or Rosa rugosa ‘Alba’ or ‘Hansa’.

Roses thrive in diverse forms and colors. Our frenzy of love for the rose produces cultivars for gardens, but not necessarily the scented or aromatic roses of perfume or even medicinal quality. In whatever form, we are passionate about roses.

“The Arabs loved roses even more than we do.”

—Mandy Aftel, on historical Roses, p. 99, in Essence & Alchemy.

One of the fabled rose gardens of old was created in Persia, and its poetry. Roses were excellent companions to the poet Saadi, as he leaned into solitude and wrote “The Rose Garden” in the 13th century.

Gardeners in 17th century India were fascinated by the Rose. As the story goes, a Moghul ordered the water channels in the garden to be filled with Rose water for a garden-party event. His gardeners noticed that the rose-scented water developed a concentration of aromatic oil under the heat of the sun. They withdrew this concentrate from the water and saved it as perfume. And named their rose essence perfume an “attar” of roses.

An Ayurvedic View on Roses as Medicine

According to Ayurveda, Roses are medicinal for a range of skin, nervous system and female reproductive disharmonies.

Frawley and Lad report that Ayurvedic practitioners use rose petals to balance circulatory, nervous system, and female reproductive imbalances and pain. Rose teas are suitable as an eyewash, and Roses tea is beneficial to the nerves and to mature and compromised skin. The authors add that rose combines well with other flowers to amplify its effects on the circulatory system. Especially for women, roses and safflower, or roses and hibiscus are tonic to the reproductive system.

Rose Petals as Sweet Confection

Rose petals and Hibiscus flowers combine together as tea: “Sweet rose petals balance the sour taste of Hibiscus and add a delicious aroma…”, from Juliet Blankenship, about Petal Tea, p. 149, in her book, Wild Beauty.

Rose Petal Jam is a product you can purchase. Why not make your own version? Doctor of Oriental Medicine and Herbalist Michael Tierra suggests chopping finely the clean and patted dry petals. Then cover them with honey and allow to macerate or soak overnight before use as a sweetener, or spreading on toast.

“Dried Rose petals retain their scent…
“… rose essential oil is valued by aromatherapists for its rejuvenating qualities.”

—Lesley Bremness, p. 121, in her book, Herbs

I’ve reflected here on just a few aspects of the special roses grown for fragrance. Roses are known and loved in perfumes, medicines, teas, and foods. A reference to the adoration of the divine in Frawley and Lad’s book, Yoga of Herbs speaks for all the Roses and humans who love them. As Roses take their place in so many aspects of our experience, they pose as a bridge to heaven, too.

Seize a chance to imbibe the nectar of a flower.
Breathe deeply into the perfume of a Rose

and thus savor the blooms that are picked close to dawn, holding its precious scent for you!

An amazing fact I’ll share about Roses:

18 years ago I purchased a bag of rosebuds and petals. It still smells heavenly today!

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About the Rose