A Rose is a Rose… 

by Victoria Edwards 

Originally published in The AATA Journal, Common Scents, Vol. 1 No. 3, Summer 1989 

The numerical expression of the Rosaceae can be seen in the floral envelope, which has five petals, five leaves, and twice five sepals. Slice an apple (Rosaceae family) crosswise and you will see the five-pointed star pattern. The five aspects of the Rose to be explored here are the historic, the cultural, the symbolic, the physical (medicinal and cosmetic), and the spiritual. 

The most beautiful member of the Rosaceae family, the rose, originated in Asia Minor and is one of the oldest flowers in cultivation. It was grown 5,000 years ago in the ancient gardens of western Asia and North-Africa. Roses have been mentioned in poetical work since the dawn of creation. Roses grew in the mythical gardens of Semiramis, Queen of Syria, and Midas, King of Phrygia. According to Greek legend, Chloris, the deity of flowers, one cloudy morning walked through the woods and found the body of a beautiful nymph. Saddened to see such a lovely creature dead, she decided to give her new life by transforming her into a beautiful flower surpassing all others in charm and beauty. She called on the other deities to help her. Aphrodite, to give beauty and to bestow the three graces, brilliance, joy and charm; her husband, Zephyrus, the west-wind, to blow away the clouds so that Apollo, the Sun could send his blessing through his rays, and Dionysius, the deity of wine, to give nectar and fragrance. When the new flower was finished the gods rejoiced over its charming beauty and delicate scent. Chloris collected a diadem of dewdrops and crowned the new flower, the rose, as queen of flowers. Aphrodite presented the rose to her son Eros, the deity of love. The white rose became the symbol of charm and innocence, and the red rose the symbol of love and desire. 

When Eros, in turn, presented a rose to Harpocrates, the deity of silence, to induce him to conceal the weaknesses of the gods, the rose became the emblem of silence and secrecy. 

In ancient Rome things spoken “sub rosa” (under the rose) were part of Venus's sexual mysteries, not to be revealed to the unitiated. 

The rosary was an instrument of worship of the rose, which ancient Rome knew as the flower of Venus. 

Five was the Marian number because it was the number of petals in the rose, and also in the apple blossom. 

The mature apple was the symbol of motherhood, fruition, regeneration and eternal life. Five was considered proper to Marian devotion because Rose-Mary was the re-incarnation of Apple-Eve. 

The five-fold rose and apple were also related to numerous pre-Christian images of the goddess, the witches pentacle, the five-pointed star of Ishtar, and the Egyptian symbol of the uterine underworld and rebirth cycle. 

At Chartres Cathedral the window called the rose of France shows in its center the Virgin in her majesty. In the great age of cathedral-building Mary was worshiped as a Goddess in her “Palace of the Queen of Heaven”. At Notre-Dame she was often addressed as the Rose, Rose-bush, Rose garland, Rose-garden, Mystic Rose, or Queen of the most holy garden. There are many documented accounts of apparitions of Mary to various saints, either with roses or the odour of roses present. The church, the garden, and Mary's body were all mystically one; for she was Lady Ecclesia, the church, as well as “the pure womb of regeneration.” Much like a pagan temple, the Gothic cathedral represented the body of the Goddess who was also the universe, containing the essence of the male godhead within herself. This interpretation was largely forgotten after the passing of the Gothic period. In later centuries Gothic became an epithet of contempt, synonymous with barbarous. The symbolism of the Palaces of the Queen of Heaven was no longer understood. 

According to an old Persian legend the caliph, Jehangir, while walking with his beautiful bride in his palace gardens along the canals and fountains, decked with rose petals in celebration of their wedding, noticed an oily film on the surface of the waters, produced by the action of the sun on the roses. Fascinated by the heavy scent of this oil he ordered it bottled for later use. This attar (fragrance), in Persian also called otto, is still considered the most precious of all perfumes. 

Fragrance is the rightful heritage of the rose and it is what we consciously expect of it. We cannot disassociate fragrance from the rose. Circa 1930 “Of late there has been great uneasiness among flower lovers because of the numbers of scentless or nearly scentless roses appearing on the market. It is hard to believe that a scentless rose could have a great vogue, but there is that chill and soulless beauty Frau Druschki to the contrary. A trend towards mere beauty of person in roses is greatly to be deplored! In Britain, to offset this trend, various awards for fragrance have been given, the most important of these being the Clay Cup. Offered annually for the rose of good form and colour possessing in greatest degree the old rose fragrance. The winner in 1929 “Aroma.” Fortunately, this trend has been successfully reversed and growers now are focusing on fragrance again. The most recent result of breeding for fragrance has reached fad status with the “Pink Prelude”. Bred in sunny Antibes, on the Riviera, the scent of the bud is said to be “the deepest mixed in.” Fast becoming the favored bloom of the jet-set, “Princess Caroline of Monaco had 300 for her birthday,” the demand has created a scarcity, but a version is now being cultivated in California. 

What is meant by the pure colour of roses and sometimes designated as the “true old rose scent” is the property of that great trinity that once constituted the chief rose wealth of the gardening world. Rosa centifolia, the cabbage rose, Rosa damascena, the damask rose and Rosa gallica, the French rose. 

The hybrid perpetual and some hybrid tea roses have the blood of one of these three coursing through their veins. The perfume of the rose remains pure, uncloying and sweet to the last whiff nor does it lose its sweetness in death. Dried rose petals hold their scent for years. In periods of extreme heat and drought roses grow appreciably less. Before a storm the sweet odours will increase, and roses are found to be more fragrant in autumn than summer. Other roses worth mention are the Rosa rugosa, Chinese rose, and the Rosa moschata, which is making news for its rose hip seed oil. Hips are a fruit by definition. They contain seeds which are nourished by a pulpy flesh. Rose hip seed oil contains a high amount of Gamma-Linolenic Acid (GLA) which is also found in Evening Primrose oil. So far these oils are being found helpful for dissolving fatty deposits and healing scar tissue as well as exhibiting a remarkable effectiveness in treating feminine problems associated with the menstrual cycle. 

Medicinally, the rose has historically held a place in traditional folk remedies. According to Chinese herbal texts the Rosa rugosa is prescribed in the form of an extract in all diseases of the liver, to scatter abscesses, and in blood diseases. Its fragrant, cooling nature, and its sweet taste, tinged with a slight bitterness is believed to act especially on the spleen and liver, promoting blood circulation. According to Madame Maury, a pioneer of modern aromatherapy, the rose is an anti-tubercular and anti-bacteriological agent, most active on the heart and eyes. She wrote that rose oil exhibits a considerable influence on the female organs, by cleansing and regulating their functions. 

The effect of rose/melissa oil (ratio of 1:2) on herpes zoster and herpes simplex has been confirmed in studies in Germany. The oil is applied without dilution. An application of two or three times has resulted in the disappearance of the complaints in one or two days. 

According to Maggie Tisserand, a blend of rose oil rubbed into the groin area lymph nodes combined with lavender sitz baths helped to ease the virus. In a holistic clinic in California, patients suffering from herpes have experienced recovery using rose oil diluted in rose water in combination with Bach flower remedies taken internally and utilizing positive affirmations. 

Cosmetically the oil of the Rose supports regeneration of the epidermis. Rose also has a beneficial effect upon the moisture content of the skin and is useful in treating sensitive skin, prone to inflammation or couperose conditions (small broken veins). 

The rose, above all, produces a feeling of wellbeing. The mental and emotional reactions to rose oil have proven very positive in treating various forms of depression. Postnatal depression, depression following the breakup of a relationship, feminine insecurity and sexual dysfunctions are often responsive to therapy which includes rose oil. It opens the heart, and soothes feelings such as anger, fear, jealousy and anxiety. Rose oil is a remedy for both skin and soul. 

Dietrich Wabner writes, “I cannot confirm the yin/yang or female/male classification. The harmonizing effect of rose oil makes clear that no definite yin character is at work. Rose shows a balance of yin and yang.” Relaxation and stimulation are both possible effects of rose oil. 

Combining an intoxicating scent with such tender and fragile beauty, it is no surprise that the rose is renowned as an aphrodisiac. In India, rose petals are traditionally scattered on the wedding bed. Used as a massage oil, sprinkled in the bath, or worn as a perfume, rose oil evokes an erotic atmosphere. No wonder that lovers give each other roses. The fragrance of the rose has the power to unite physical and spiritual love. Rose oil is an aphrodisiac, yet it does not have the effect of arousing desire alone, but instills this desire with a need for harmony. The fragrance of the rose transforms love into the art of love. Superior to all scents in the floral realm, the rose works simultaneously on the physical, emotional and spiritual bodies, purifying and uplifting all three. 

Painting on tile by Victoria Edwards. Le Castillou in Luc-sur-Aude, France, home of Victoria's Aroma Camp Artisanal Distillery Seminars. 

References 

Medicinal Botony, by Wilhelm Pelikan 

Folklore and symbolism of Flowers, Plants, and Trees, by Ernst and Johanna Lehner 

Agriculture, A Course of Eight Lectures, by Rudolph Steiner 

The Women's Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets, by Barbara Walker 

The Fragrant Garden, by Louise Beebe Wilder 

Rose Oil, Its Use in Therapy and Cosmetics, by Dietrich Wabner and Ilse Wurdack 

Aromatherapy, an A-Z, by Patricia Davis 

A Guide to Dr. Haushka Cosmetic Preparations 

Aromatherapy for Women, by Maggie Tisserand 

Enchanting Scents, by Monika Junemann 

The Book of Sufi Healing, by Hakim Chishti 

Chinese Medical Herbs, by Li Shih-Chen 

Marguerite Maury's Guide to Aromatherapy, by Madame Maury 

Try a Rose Sorbet… 

Roses, used for years in jams, jellies, and syrups add a romantic flavor to sorbet. Sugar frosted petals make a shimmery edible garnish. 

Make a sugar syrup by bringing 2.5 cups of sugar in 2.25 cups of water to a full boil, stirring frequently. Add 2 to 3 cups of fragrant rose petals and let stand overnight, infusing the syrup with rose flavor. Strain syrup, and add the juice of one lemon, and a few drops of coloring if desired. Freeze rose syrup in an ice-cream maker. For a glittery garnish, brush fresh petals with a light coating of beaten egg-white and dip in granulated sugar. Place on waxed paper to dry. Always choose roses in full bloom, when they're most fragrant and flavorful. Old-fashioned varieties are best, from bushes that have been grown without pesticides. Remove the bitter white “heel” of rose petals before using. 

Sorbet recipe from Cooking With Herbs, by Emelie Tolley and Chris Mead, to be published in the fall of 1989 by Clarkson N. Potter, Inc. 

AATA's 1989 Awards Ceremony. Jeanne Rose accepting Honorary Life Membership.

From left: Kurt Schnaubelt, Victoria Edwards, Jeanne Rose, Marcel Lavabre