Evolution of the Rose
Nowadays, the genus Rosa encompasses around 150 species of erect, climbing, or trailing perennial shrubs with thousands of varieties. These stem from a very small number of original roses from Asia that were crossbred over the centuries with native European and American wild species.
Roses are classified into three types:
- species – the familiar ‘wild rose’
- Old World roses – introduced before 1867)
- modern roses
The first species roses had five single petals as seen on the flowers of Rosa hilliae. These are the species that formed the genetic building blocks for our modern-day roses. They include the dog rose, Rosa canina, which is commonly found in hedging. There is also the Scotch rose, Rosa pimpinellifolia, a tough, bushy rose that survives well in exposed or seaside locations, Rosa gallica, which comes from warmer southern Europe, Rosa carolina from the eastern US and Rosa blanda that toughs it out on the American prairies.
The process of turning the wild rose into a garden plant of infinite variety began a long time ago. The first domesticated roses may have been deliberately cultivated as early as 3,000 BCE in China. They were used in the making of rosewater and in perfumed oils, for medicinal purposes and as confetti for celebrations. The philosopher Confucius recorded that roses were growing in the gardens of the Imperial Palace in 500 BCE and the Chinese emperor’s library contained a large number of books on the subject. China was the sole source of yellow roses and all their present-day descendants, as there are no wild roses in Europe with that colouration.
The ancient Egyptians bathed in rosewater and scattered rose petals to make their rooms sweet-smelling. The Romans grew roses extensively in large public gardens, and Rosa alba could be found in the gardens of nobles and monks in medieval Europe, widely thought to have been spread there by visiting Romans. Every medieval monastery had its botanist monk, cultivating roses alongside other plants and herbs to be used in religious ceremonies.
Also grown by medieval gardeners was Rosa damascena, or the damask rose, with its luxuriant double, deeply scented flowers. As its name ‘from Damascus’ suggests it was probably brought back to Europe from Syria by merchants in the 12th century or Crusaders in the 13th century, along with Rosa oficinalis, known as ‘the apothecary’s rose’.
It has been the continuing intervention of botanists and plant breeders that has transformed the wild rose into a consistent garden plant. Roses raised from seed do not retain the characteristics of their parents. Cuttings have to be taken to maintain a variety. So an old rose today can be said to be a living link with a rose that once grew in a medieval garden. Old roses often do not bloom for as long as their cultivated descendants, and their colours are more pastel and less showy. However, they are hardy and do not require the same degree of attention and maintenance as a modern hybrid. They also still exude the strong fragrances that come from their wild ancestors.