Types of oil-bearing roses

Roses have been highly valued over the centuries around the world for their healing properties, the balancing nature of their aroma and the colors of their colors. They bring romance and pleasure, purity and joy. Roses symbolize passion, understanding and luxury, and the scent of rose oil is the scent of love…

The world exists over 200 type and more than 18 000 varieties of roses. However, it is important to know, that rose oil can be obtained only from 4 from them: Rosa damascena, Rosa alba, Rosa centifolia is Rosa gallicа.

Kazanlak rose (Rosa damascena)

The treasure is believed, that the first roses were brought to Thrace by the returning soldiers of Alexander the Great. Belgian chronicles mention, that through 1210 year crusaders saw large areas of roses near Edirne.

Turkish geographer and traveler Hadji Khalifa writes about rose gardens, which he saw near Edirne in 1652. Supposed, that mentioning Edirne, he also means the Rose Valley, as at that time Bulgaria was part of the Ottoman Empire.

The highest quality oil-bearing rose in the world was imported into this region from Damascus, Syria. Hence its name – Damask rose.

Supposed, that the cultivation of roses was introduced into the Rose Valley by a Turkish judge. He had huge gardens with fragrant roses. Through 1593 year Sultan Murad III ordered the judge to grow roses for the needs of his palace.

The climatic conditions of the Kazanlak region turned out to be much more favorable, than in the country of its origin. The introduced original technology for planting roses turned out to be so good, that rose bushes were exported to the Russian and Ottoman Empires.

Humidity and cloudiness contributed to the production of roses, with a high content of essential oil.

Do you know, that forms of Rosa Damascena are also cultivated in Turkey, Syria, Iran, Afghanistan, India, China, Morocco and Egypt?

White oil-bearing rose (Rosa Alba)

This is the other type of oil-bearing rose, which grows in Bulgaria, but its oil is of lower quality and is used mainly for separating rose plants. It is distinguished by its broad and serrated leaves, large flowers and white corolla leaves. Gives almost 2 times more- high color yield, than Rosa damascenbut, but contains twice as much- a little essential oil.

The white rose is widespread in India as an ornamental plant.

It was originally grown for its sweet aroma of flowers, and nowadays it is valuable as a winter-hardy shrub.

Stolistna rose (Rosa Centifolia)

Its colors are large and heavy, but contain a low percentage of low quality essential oils. It is grown in Morocco, France and Italy.

In Bulgaria it is grown as an ornamental in gardens and yards.

Gallic pink (Rosa Galica)

You will recognize her by her size, fragrant and red colors. Unfortunately, they drip easily and contain a low percentage of essential oils.

The Gallic rose has found the most favorable conditions for development in India, Moldova, Ukraine and Russia. It is among the oldest varieties of garden roses, cultivated by the ancient Greeks and Romans.

Rosa Galica is among the oldest varieties of garden roses, cultivated by the ancient Greeks and Romans.

"Liquid gold" To Bulgaria

Bulgarian rose oil, produced from the petals of Rosa damascena Mill, is a world standard for quality, with which the oils of the other producing countries are compared. More than 350 years it is unsurpassed in quality worldwide. It is eternal.

Because of its exceptional qualities, Bulgarian rose oil is traditionally in great demand for the preparation of perfumes and cosmetics of the highest class. Some of the companies, who use Bulgarian rose oil in their products are for example Chanel, Kenzo, Estee Lauder, Dior and much more.

Rose oil is part of one of the most popular perfumes of all time, Chanel No5 – the only thing, which Marilyn Monroe wore before bed. Today, a bottle of perfume is sold to everyone 30 seconds.

We hope the article was useful to you and that we were able to take you to a fragrant pink color. It's getting nicer outside. Spring is coming at a slow pace, and isn't this the most wonderful time of the year? And while we wait for the sun to help our roses bloom, we invite you to try our pink scents:

Sources:

Basic aromatic plants. 19 modern methods of cultivation by prof. Jordan Yankulov, 2000; 2. Handbook of aromatherapy by Dr. Rumyana Denkova, Dr. Veselin Denkov, 1999; 3. Handbook of the aromatherapy industry specialist by prof. Evgeny Georgiev and Assoc. Dr. Eng. Albena Stoyanova; 4. Wikipedia.