Story by Ruth Hayes: Home & Gardens
Roses
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Pink Roses: Meanings, Symbolism, and Folklore
In the language of flowers, pink roses symbolize blossoming and tentative romantic feelings or first love in some cultures. Historically, they’ve also carried meanings associated with success and confidence. What’s more, pink roses have played a prominent role in Greek mythology and folklore dating back to Ancient Rome. Join me as I explore the rich symbolic meaning of pink roses and their cultural significance around the world.
In the language of flowers, pink roses symbolize blossoming and tentative romantic feelings or first love in some cultures. Historically,...© Provided by Petal Republic
What We’ll Cover:
- About Pink Rose Flowers
- The General Meaning of Pink in Floral Arrangements
- Greek and Roman Myths for the Pink Rose
- Christianity and Pink Roses
- Pink Rose Meaning in Floriography
- Hanakotoba and Pink Roses
- Pink Rose as a Birth Flower
- National Flower of the United States
- National Flower of the Republic of Maldives
- Meaning of Pink Rose Tattoos
- Suitable Gifting Occasions for Pink Roses
- Pink Rose Flower FAQs:
About Pink Rose Flowers
Roses can vary significantly in size and botanical features, including all the pink varieties. Some are only a few inches tall or climb on spiny vines, while others grow upright and produce blooms as big as softballs. There are even single-layered old-fashioned Pink Roses for a peony-style look.
There are Pink Rose varieties native to almost every part of the world that has a temperate climate and some tropical and arid areas. Choosing a type native to your location makes them easier to grow, but there is a wide range of varieties sold as cut flowers for adding spice and texture to a floral arrangement.
Pink varieties of roses tend to grow in that color naturally rather than need dyeing, including some multi-colored and striped varieties. In my experience, open and single-layered roses often feature a white or yellow center that contrasts against the pink colors of the petals.
The General Meaning of Pink in Floral Arrangements
There’s a whole world of meaning to explore when it comes to pink poses, starting with their color and ending with their use as a tattoo symbol.
Pink flowers are a popular color for floral arrangements with a positive or playful message. In color theory, it’s believed to represent femininity, softness, playfulness, joy, and pleasant emotions. For flowers specifically, pink is considered to symbolize:
- Youthfulness
- Friendship
- Blossoming romantic interest
- Happiness and joy
- Gentleness
- New and developing relationships
- Hope
- Positive feelings.
Greek and Roman Myths for the Pink Rose
Pink hybrid roses in bloom© Provided by Petal Republic
In Greek mythology, Roses, in general, were created by the sea foam that splashed on the shore when Aphrodite was born from the sea.
Pink Roses, in particular, have their own unique story in the myths of Roman culture. Rhodanthe was a beautiful woman with too many suitors, and she fled into the temple of Diana, looking for safety. The goddess turned her into a Pink Rose, and the suitors pursued her into the thorns of the plant.
Christianity and Pink Roses
Roses are sometimes associated with the blood of Christ in Christianity. Some myths say the Rose was originally white and turned red after the blood dripped on them during the crucifixion.
The particular variety of roses associated with this belief is the Moss Rose or Portulaca grandiflora. It comes in many intense pink varieties and standard white and red types.
Pink Rose Meaning in Floriography
Roses were widely cultivated in Victorian England, both species native to Europe and imported types from around the world. This meant that not only did the plant have a general association with romance in the culture, but each color had its own meaning in the Language of Flowers.
The Pink Rose was considered a sign of first love or budding feelings for someone. It was also a symbol of innocence, childhood, and healing from illness.
What’s more, pink roses were often used as decorations on romantic gifts or early cards for Valentine’s Day, more often than Red Roses during this era.
Hanakotoba and Pink Roses
Pink Roses get their own separate meaning in the Hanakotoba or Japanese Language of Flowers. They’re known in Japanese as Momirobara.
In this culture, they don’t carry any romantic or related meanings. Instead, you give them to wish for happiness or to express a deep trust in someone you know.
It’s a good choice for sending to friends or family members who have supported you or need your support. Sending Pink Roses in Japan can also signal you have confidence that someone will succeed.
Pink Rose as a Birth Flower
The Pink Rose is the birth flower of the month of June. This lends it a playful and warm meaning due to its association with the beginning of summer.
Many pink varieties of the Rose also begin to bloom around May or June, making it a botanical association as well.
National Flower of the United States
Lush pink rose bushes in bloom with flowers trailing over a white picket gate© Provided by Petal Republic
Roses are considered the official National Flower of the United States. This includes Pink Roses and all the other colors available. The Rose is also the state flower of New York, with no particular focus on pink blossoms but not excluding them either.
As state flowers, both North Dakota and Iowa consider the wild Prarie Rose their state flower. This is a dusty Pink Rose with a charming appearance and scent.
National Flower of the Republic of Maldives
A variety of the Pink Rose, also known as Rosa polyantha, is the National Flower of the Republic of Maldives. It’s not native to the islands, but it is one of the few true Rosa species that can grow in the warm conditions and sandy soil there.
The bright pink color is considered a sign of the hope and resilience of the people living there and can be spotted in gardens throughout the islands.
Meaning of Pink Rose Tattoos
Pink Roses are popular as a tattoo today, as are many other flowers. Most people who seek out floral tattoos are interested in a feminine design that carries its own symbolism and meaning.
The Pink Rose is often used to commemorate a first love or a lost love that was only just developing. Some people also use them to remember children or young people in their family who passed away before reaching adulthood.
For others, Pink Rose tattoos help remind them of caring female family members like a mother or grandmother who raised roses.
Suitable Gifting Occasions for Pink Roses
In Japan, Pink Roses are commonly gifted to others to congratulate them for success or to communicate that you are confident in their success.
In Western cultures, Pink Roses are often gifted to romantic prospects or partners who have only recently started a relationship. Sometimes, these Roses are included in bouquets for young children or women of any age due to their connection with youthfulness and femininity.
Some people use them as gifts to symbolize friendship, contrasting with the romantic associations with Red Roses.
Pink Rose Flower FAQs:
What does a pink rose symbolize?
Depending on the culture, a Pink Rose can mean anything from confidence to romantic feelings to playfulness and positivity. Pink Roses are often associated with the start of a relationship or a first love as well.
Are pink roses lucky?
Pink Roses can be considered lucky or a symbol of success in some cultures, including in Japan.
Is a pink rose a flower of love?
It depends on the culture in which you send the flower. In most Asian cultures, pink is connected more with vitality and good health than with romance. Some Western cultures consider it a sign of romantic intentions.
What do pink roses mean in a relationship?
Once you are in a relationship, Pink Roses can symbolize your joyfulness at being their partner or your hope for positivity in the future. They also indicate a shy sort of romantic declaration.
How long do pink rose flowers last?
Most pink roses last about one week after being cut, provided the water is changed daily.
The Final Word
Pink Roses can be romantic, but more often than not, they symbolize general positivity and happiness. They’re even considered a good luck charm by some. Consider the background and culture of the person to whom you want to send a Pink Rose to determine what kind of symbolism they might read into it.
For more, see our in-depth guide to the best types of native North American roses.
The post Pink Roses: Meanings, Symbolism, and Folklore appeared first on Petal Republic.
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Rose black spot – expert tips on how to prevent and beat this common disease
Rose black spot is one of the most common and serious diseases to affect roses, some of the most beautiful and alluring plants in the garden. It can appear all year round, remaining for as long as the plant is in leaf and once it takes hold it can seriously weaken your rose.
If you're thinking of planting roses this year, however, there's no need to despair because it rarely kills plants and it is treatable. In fact there are many methods of knocking it back and preventing its spread, including chemical sprays, practical measures and organic solutions
There is even a bizarre-sounding ‘anecdotal’ measure involving corn meal that I tried in spring last year, because I have several roses in the garden and they inevitably fall foul of black spot to some degree. While the corn meal didn’t completely prevent black spot, it did delay it on the rose I was experimenting with until well into the summer, so I plan to try it again this year with more rigorous application.
What does rose black spot look like?
Rose black spot is easy to identify. It usually starts as dark or purple blotches on the upper surface of a leaf. These may turn yellow at the edges, and the leaf will eventually fall, although sometimes the spots stay small and the foliage stays on the plants. Young stems may also be affected with scabby, dark blisters.
If a rose is very badly infected the disease can check its growth and reduce its vigor.
What causes rose black spot?
The culprit is a fungal disease called Diplocarpon rosae. Unfortunately it is genetically diverse so new strains are continually appearing.
This means that although rose breeders are always coming up with new varieties that are resistant to the disease, their protection fails to last as new strains of the pathogen evolve.
Preventing rose black spot
Once a rose has black spot it is hard to get rid of the problem because the spores from fallen leaves linger in the soil and reinfect the plant by being splashed up by rain. However, you can give your rose the best chance of staying healthy by giving it the right care and attention.
Fungal diseases such as black spot and powdery mildew thrive in areas where plants are crammed in together and there is poor airflow, leading to still, warm, damp conditions. Prevent this by making sure plants in your rose garden have room to grow properly, so air can move between them.
As well as knowing when to fertilize roses, make sure you give them the right amount of rose fertilizer, like this Great Big Roses soil and fertilizer booster from Amazon, and water them correctly. Plants that grow healthily are less likely to succumb to pests and disease, and if they do develop problems they are better equipped to recover afterwards.
Mulching generously in spring and fall is also important. It can be wood chip mulch, like this Mighty 109 cedar wood chip mulch from Amazon, well-rotted homemade compost or farmyard manure from your local farm, stables, garden store or online. Something like this Black Kow composted cow manure fertilizer from Amazon would be suitable.
The right types of mulch will feed the soil and roots, but also bury any black spot spores so they are less likely to be splashed back up in rain to re-infect a treated plant.
How to treat rose black spot
If a rose has had black spot one year it increases the chance of it returning the next. To try and prevent it, mulch around your plant in spring and start spraying with a plant fungicide as soon as the new leaves start to emerge. You may need to do this throughout the growing season to keep your plant healthy.
There are many fungicides available. Some are concentrate and need letting down, such as BioAdvanced Disease Control for roses, plants and shrubs on Amazon. Others come as ready-to-use sprays and will tackle pests at the same time, including this BioAdvanced 3-In-1 Insect, Disease and Mite Control one, also on Amazon.
If black spot does appear despite treatments, cut off the affected leaves with sharp garden snips or remove them by hand to make way for healthy new growth.
Also examine the soil around the plant and collect up any fallen leaves showing signs of black spot. Never compost diseased leaves as the spores will thrive in your compost heap and be spread around the yard.
Instead, put diseased plant material in the trash or burn it, then clean your pruning shears to prevent the disease being transmitted to other roses when you deadhead or prune them.
In the fall, collect up all fallen rose leaves and mulch around the plant to bury the spores. When pruning roses that have been infected by black spot, add the cut stems to the trash or burn them, never add them to the compost heap.
Natural treatments for rose black spot
If you prefer not to use chemicals you need to be extremely diligent with your plant care, mulching, removing diseased leaves and feeding and watering to keep your plants as healthy as possible.
Organic sprays against rose black spot are available and include Bonide Rose Rx Multi-Purpose Fungicide, Insecticide and Miticide on Amazon, which comes as concentrate as well as a ready-to-use spray and is made with a natural disinfectant called Neem. Neem is also widely used in homemade bug sprays for keeping pests away from plants.
You could also try Earth's Ally Disease Control Concentrate (also on Amazon) which also works against powdery mildew and tomato blight.
Sulfur can also be used in organic gardens to combat fungal diseases, and copper fungicide sprays like this Bonide Captain Jack's Copper Fungicide at Walmart are also effective.
Some household products can also be used against rose black spot. Baking soda, which has been used for generations as a household cleaner, changes the pH level of the leaves making it harder for the fungal spores to adhere. Make a solution of a teaspoon of baking soda mixed with a quart of water and spray it thickly onto the roses every week and after rain.
There is also anecdotal evidence that cornmeal can help delay rose black spot. It contains a fungus called Trichoderma that is harmless to humans but kills black spot pathogens. Apply it around your rose in spring and fork it into the soil.
Rose varieties resistant to black spot
Although there are some varieties of roses that are resistant to black spot, the fungus mutates and produces new strains so swiftly that complete protection may only last a few seasons.
However, resistant roses may still recover faster and better from attacks of the disease, so consider these options if you are designing a rose garden:
- Hybrid tea roses: ‘Elizabeth Taylor’ and ‘Great Scott' (pink), ‘Love and Peace’ (yellow with pink/apricot tints) and ‘Sheer Bliss’ (while with pale fishes).
- Floribunda roses: ‘Angel Face’ (lavender), available at Nature Hills, ‘First Kiss’ (pale pink), and ‘Simplicity’ (pink).
- Shrub roses: ‘Distant Drums’ (pinky-orange), ‘Winter Sunset’ (apricot), ‘Prairie Harvest’ (yellow).
- Climbing roses: ‘Dublin Bay’ (red), available at Nature Hills, ‘Rambling Red’ (red), also at Nature Hills, and ‘Eden’ (pale pink).
- Miniature roses: ‘Apricot Twist’ (pale apricot), ‘Rose Gilardi’ (deep pink with paler stripes).
FAQs
How does rose black spot spread?
Rose black spot is a fungal disease. It is spread by spores that travel in water, whether it is from the gardener watering their plants, humidity and rainfall.
If the spores fall onto the soil they will stay there and be splashed back onto the plant when it is watered or when it rains. Mulching in spring and fall traps the spores in the soil so they can't reinfect the plant.
Can rose black spot affect other plants?
Although many varieties of plants get a variation of black spot disease, it is not the same pathogen as rose black spot.
All black spot diseases are fungal, and can be treated with good garden hygiene and plant care, and by using a general fungicide such as this Garden Safe fungicide from Amazon.
Although it can be disappointing to discover that your favorite rose is suffering from rose black spot, it doesn't have to mean that your plant will die from this common disease.
By following the best treatment methods you can nurse it back to health, plus take precautions to prevent it spreading to other roses in your flower beds.