Roses are one of the most popular flowers in the U.S. and have a long and interesting history. They have been cultivated throughout the world for the beauty and their evocative scent for millennia. Below is a condensed history of this delicate, colorful flower.

Ancient Times

Fossil evidence shows that roses have bloomed on Earth for at least 35 million years. However, human cultivation began about 5,000 years ago. It is possible that the first roses were cultivated in Ancient China because 93 of the nearly 200 species of roses, as well as 144 varieties, are native to China. 

In Ancient Greece, the rose was the symbol of Aphrodite, who is the goddess of love. It is a popularly believed Greek myth that Aphrodite pricked herself on a rose thorn, and her blood gave the flower its deep, red color.

During the Roman Empire, a festival of roses known as the Rosalia, or the day of adornment, took place each spring. Participants wove and wore rose wreaths and commemorated the dead by adorning burial sites with the flowers. 

Medieval Times

In Europe, Christian ascetics eschewed and denounced roses, rose water, and other floral perfumery as decadent. In the Middle East, particularly in Turkey and Persia, legend had it that roses were manifested drops of the prophet’s perspiration.

The rose took on particular symbolic significance in medieval Europe when two houses, the Lancasters and the Yorks, were competing for the English crown, and each took a rose as their house symbol. Decades of conflict arose between the houses, and each carried standards into battle featuring the Lancaster Red and the York White roses. These Wars of the Roses ended when Henry VII, a great-great-grandson of a Duke of Lancaster, defeated Yorkist King Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485.

Modern Day 

Today, red roses are a symbol of true love, while yellow roses symbolize the warmth of the sun and feelings of friendship. They are immensely popular as birthday and Valentine’s Day gifts, wedding bouquets, and in floral arrangements. They are cultivated as garden adornments and come in a wealth of colors, including red, white, pink, yellow, and even blue.

For a single, perfect rose or an entire bouquet, contact Forget Me Not Flower Shop in North Haven, CT. They have served New Haven County since 1977 and offer reliable, same-day floral delivery. They sell holiday and wedding floral arrangements as well as birthday flowers, gift baskets, and garden plants. Visit their website to view a gallery of their products by occasion or call (203) 248-7589 to place an order.