Is a rose by any other name still a rose? What was the process that this flower, more so than any other, has grown such symbolism as the flower of flowers? Plantec shares a special Valentine's Day edition where the history of the rose takes the main stage because knowing where and why your romantic roses come from is also important for the biggest celebration of love.
Unwrapping Romance and History With the Queen of Flowers for Valentine's Day
What better represents passion, than a red rose, innocence than a white rose, tenderness than a pink rose? Roses have been ingrained in human history for millennia, with the first written records of domesticated roses coming from around 3,000 BC from China. During the era of the Greek Pantheon, it was Aphrodite the goddess of beauty and love that gave the rose its name by rearranging the letters of the name of her son Eros. Roses were used in antiquity for celebrations, burials, medicine, and as a natural perfume.
Passing on to the history of roses in the Egyptian civilization, rose petals can be found in ancient Egyptian tombs and paintings. It is even said that Cleopatra VII used red roses during her public appearances and enjoyed having their aroma follow her wherever she went. Many Egyptian rose references originated during Alexander the Great's reign, which increased their popularity throughout the country. So, as you can see, roses have had a tremendous impact on human history dating back to thousands of years ago.
Photo: @plantec
The tradition of presenting roses on Valentine's Day has also been an important mark of this flower in our history, and the red rose has always been the flower of choice. Here's where the fun part comes in and Plantec shares its top three favorite red roses for the celebration of this worldwide date.
Plantec's Top Picks of Red Roses for V-day
Red roses have always made their way into everyone's hearts, leaving a profound visual impact because of their unbeatable beauty and the sentiment they express, especially red roses such as Explorer roses (the flagship rose from Ecuador). The variety took the country by storm and has had a resurgence in 2023. The jump in demand for Rose Explorer is directly linked to how excited the American and European markets were to discover this rose which for years was almost entirely destined exclusively for the Russian Market.
Photo: @explorerroses
Now with the United States and Europe increasing the demand for the rose, it has become much more widely available for the final consumers worldwide. Its dark red hue is unmistakable, and Explorer's sister rose, Rose Red Panther, has the same shape and intensity as Explorer, but with a unique marbled appearance that can enchant and delight, especially as a heartfelt gift for such a special day like Valentine's. These two sister roses represent everything Valentine's Day is known for because of their humble beauty and the grandiose message of love and intimacy they send out at first sight and encounter.
Of course, Plantec's Rose Fortune makes it to their favorite choices of red roses for the most loving season of the year. Their Fortune rose stands as an innovation of the standard red rose, portraying a message of eternal love. A rose, like a chocolate or a fine wine, must be enjoyed while it is in bloom. Part of the experience of a beautiful rose is the end of its vase life, exactly like a box of chocolates will be empty once eaten, or even the finest wine turning into an empty bottle once enjoyed. Fortune roses are an innovative product in the market because of their longer vase life, lasting well into three weeks in a vase if properly cared for. And who would pass up a larger box of chocolates or a bigger bottle of wine or in this case, longer-lasting roses?
Roses are known to have appeared about 35 million years ago and up to this day, their impact is never-ending. Their roots are firmly entrenching in culture all over the world and their blooms speak to us perhaps more than any other flower.
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