June’s Flower
Rose
Roses are ancient and cover the body of Earth with their various forms in a harmony of beauty. As symbols of love and beauty, and the politics of power, sovereignty and war they have left a rich and romantic historical legacy. The rose appeared in Central Asia during the Eocene epoch about 60 to 70 million years ago and being the intrepid traveler that it is spread over the entire world. Early civilizations, including the Chinese, the Egyptians, the Phoenicians, the Greeks, and the Romans, were cultivating roses five thousand years ago. We have discovered fossilized roses from 35 million years ago and across North and South America we see 150 species of roses.
Ancient Europeans identified the rose with their goddesses of love, Aphrodite, Venus and Isis to whom the lovely flower is sacred. In later times the rose became the sacred flower of the Virgin Mary. Symbolically, roses reveal a world of human experience. Even their colors speak the language of the human heart. White or red rosebuds point to beauty, youth and virginity. The moss rosebud stands for confessions of love. The red rose speaks of the kind of love that gives rise to respect, courage and great heartedness. A bouquet of roses in full bloom signifies gratitude.
White roses have a variety of meanings most of which signify heavenly purpose, innocence and purity, nobility and also secrecy and silence as in promising to keep a secret. A rose placed over two buds forms a combination that signifies secrecy. In ancient Rome a wild rose would be placed on the door of a room when secret or confidential matters were under discussion. The Latin phrase sub rosa, or “under the rose”, means to keep a secret and is derived from this ancient Roman practice. During the fifteenth century, the rose was used as a symbol for the factions fighting to control England. The white rose symbolized York, and the red rose symbolized Lancaster, as a result, the conflict became known as the “War of the Roses.” Red and white roses or white roses with red edges, symbolize unity. Shades of pink in roses reflect different meanings. Light pink stands for appreciation while deeper pink points to grace and gentility. Yellow roses usually symbolize joy and gladness and caring.
In ancient Rome and all the way into modern times, roses were used for nutritive culinary and medicinal purposes and for perfume. There are many culinary uses for rose hips. They can be used fresh, dried, or preserved. Rose hips can be used in applesauce, soups and stews, syrups, puddings, marmalade, tarts, breads, and pie, or made into a jam or jelly. Since earliest times roses were important in hand lotions, cosmetics, and perfumes. Today, almost all women’s perfumes and 40 percent of men’s fragrances contain rose oil. In AD 77 the Roman writer Pliny recorded 32 disorders that responded to treatment with rose preparations. Treatises written by medieval herbalists tell of the healing properties of various rose preparations and in the 19th century sailors in the British merchant navy discovered that rose hips prevented scurvy. Osteoarthritis that can be described as the breakdown of cartilage in the joint, allowing bones to rub against each other, causing pain and loss of movement, is a degenerative joint disease affecting over 20 million Americans. Recent studies and treatments have shown that the anti-inflammatory properties of rose hips are tremendously useful in the treatment of patients suffering from osteoarthritis. Rose hips also contain very high levels of phytochemicals and pectin known to protect against cancer and cardiovascular disease.