Roses are one of the most well-known and popular species of flowering plants, with bouquets of roses in particular known as being the quintessential choice for any budding lothario seeking romantic flowers for a loved one or a crush. There are many unusual and interesting facts about roses which you may be unaware of - we've chosen our top 7 fun rose facts for you to learn more about this romantic flower.
- There are over 100 species of rose in existence.
- Roses are often utilised in the creation of perfumes, thanks to the lovely odour created by microscopic perfume glands on their petals.
- The rose is the floral emblem of America and is also the official flower of the states of Iowa, New York, Georgia and North Dakota.
- Different colours of rose have different associations. Red represents love, yellow is for friendship, and orange means desire.
- The world's first blue rose was bred in 2009 thanks to advancements in genetic engineering. Prior to this, rose petals didn't have the correct enzyme required to make a blue pigment.
- The tallest rose bush ever recored reached an impressive 23 feet or 7 metres.
- The most expensive rose in the world was announced in 2006 by David Austin. Named the Juliet, it took 15 years and cost £3 million to breed!
So there you have it, our favourite fun facts about roses. Which did you find most interesting? Are there any you feel we've missed off this list?
