Aromas of Flowers and Your Creative Self
Flowers Spark the Creative in Us
Of the parts of a plant, the flowers are the most real, the most imaginable and relatable for a human being.
As Flowers point to love and forgiveness, upliftment, relaxation, restoration, they show us their perfect selves. Many flowers offer cooling energy, helping us reduce congestion that affects our mind and body.
Most of the plants we encounter in nature are flowering plants. Yet only a few of them produce flowers with scent that’s been exploited by human beings.
Plant Parts: a Flower’s Reputation
“Plant parts”, is another term for the anatomy or morphology of a plant. A chosen plant part is seen as a source of remedy in aromatherapy. An aspect of this harkens back to the idea that a plant looks like, or appears like a human body part, and thus the plant would have a reputation for healing that part of the human body.
Plant morphology concentrates on specific therapeutics provided by plant parts. In this case, the flowers of aromatic plants. Of all the seven plant parts, I think it’s flowers that begin the most real, the most imaginable and relatable journey into plant aromatics. In our imagined world, Flowers represent us at our best.
Roses
Rosa species
Family: Rosaceae, the Rose family of shrubs and vines. Roses are grouped in the genus of Rosa in the family of Rosaceae, a family which encompasses many other genera (groups), including edible fruits, nuts, berries, and garden plants.
Origin and Biological status: Central Asia and Persia to Turkey. Now grown in Bulgaria, Turkey, Iran, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, China. Known Species: About 150 species of Roses are available, but sources vary on the number. However, only three main types of Roses are grown for perfumery and aromatherapy: Rosa Gallica, Rosa damascena and Rosa centifolia .
Part distilled is the Rose petal. A staggering amount, 3-4,000 kg is required for steam distillation to yield 1 kg rose oil. Much less, around 300 kg, is required to produce an absolute.
Adulteration: is easily adulterated by the addition of synthetics to stretch the yield, although synthetics have no therapeutic benefits.
Season: Harvested in early summer before dawn.
Energetics: the essential oil is dispersing and cooling. It offers both spiritual and physical benefits when its scent is intentionally inhaled.
Roses in Rituals: the essential oil used as Rose water may have been discovered in India by the Royal Court as rose petals were strewn over the water channels in gardens on a sunny day. The hot sun’s rays beating down on the soaking petals caused the substance we know as essential oil to be drawn from the petals into the water, creating rose flower water on the spot.
Rose water is a main ingredient, rather than other herbal waters, in cosmetic rituals. Pastes, washes, and of course colognes comprised rose water historically, as well as other ingredients. Rose water is well noted as a culinary preference in Asian cultures.
Roses in medicines: Roses are considered a calming herb and edible flower in Traditional Chinese Medicine. According to Western herbalists, Rose is antidote to heat and inflammation, a classification from Greek medicine. See References, below.
Perfumes: in perfume formulations, Rose occupies a supreme position, added to many formulas as the center or heart note in a blend. Rose essence is made into concretes, absolutes, essential oil, and hydrosol. Perfumes use Rose absolute rather than Rose essential oil, a characteristic of other florals such as Jasmine. An extremely low-yield substance, Rose essence as an essential oil is very costly. Since it carries the therapeutics of the real flower, purchase the essence by sampling first whenever possible. Rosa damascena, the rose most often found in essential oils and Rose Otto, an absolute, is grown in Bulgaria, Turkey, Morocco, Iran, India, Saudi Arabia, Russia, and China.
Unusual characteristics: Rose water versus rose oil or absolute is a most unique feature of this flower, due to its historical significance as a cosmetic and culinary ingredient. Rose water may be similar to rose hydrosol, sought for its therapeutic benefits in aromatherapy.
The Rose symbolizes uber-everything, from the physical heart to emotional health, and more besides. Rose-perfection is also seen as divinity in a flower.
Olfactive features: “The Rose fragrance … is restoring, stabilizing, harmonizing, promotes emotional stability, security and inner strength. It provides emotional support of the most intimate kind.”, from Holmes’ definition of Rose aromas, see below under Resources.
Aromatic characteristics: Rose species chosen for scent alone such as Rosa damascena, Rosa centifolia and Rosa gallica, each have specific characteristic aromas, from “intensely floral and spicy, to fruity, to ‘old rose fragrance’, a pungent, diffusive and clove-like scent”, according to Rhind, p. 302, see References below.
Rose essential oils are made of a few aromatic components also found in other oils: citronellol, geraniol, nerol, linalool, and others. At the same time Rose absolutes carry these, plus a “sweet, honey, rose-like alcohol up to 60%, making it much richer than the essential oil”.–Rhind, see References, below.
Botanical and other illustrations from wikipedia.
REFERENCES for this page include:
Arctander, Stephan. Perfumes and Flavor Materials of Natural Origin. Published 1960 in Elizabeth, NJ.
Holmes, Peter. Aromatica: A Clinical Guide to Essential Oil Therapeutics, Vol 2. Published by Singing Dragon Press, London and Philadelphia, 2019.
Pointer, Sally. The Artifice of Beauty: A History and Practical Guide to Perfumes and Cosmetics. Published by Sutton Publishing, Gloucestershire, UK, 2005.
Rhind, Jennifer. Fragrance and Wellbeing: Plant Aromatics and Their Influence on the Psyche. Published by Singing Dragon Press, London and Philadelphia, 2014.
See quotations from herbalists on the medicinal benefits of the Rose in this post, “About the Rose”.
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