by Ian Campbell

Created on: March 02, 2009   Last Updated: March 03, 2009

Could a rose by any other name smell so sweet? As long as were not talking about a Shakespeare rival, the answer is open to interpretation. With such a populous fan club, it should come as no surprise that the rose makes its way into great literature, popular songs, and nostrils everywhere.

The history of the rose stretches some 200 million years into a time when sailors ingested it to prevent scurvy. Rose hips, which are the pomaceous fruit produced from the flowering plant, give the rose its medicinal quality. From the species, rosa rugosa, rose hips contain anywhere from 2,200 mg to 6,980 mg of vitamin C per 100 grams of pulp. Nowadays, rose hips are primarily used in teas.

Apart from the rose's nutritional value, people have attached many meanings and symbols to the rose. In Greek mythology, it was said that the goddess Aphrodite, stricken by grief over the death of her lover, grew a bed of roses from his blood creating the symbol of undying love.

From the days of Charles the second of Sweden in the 1700s, flowers spoke their own language. It was around this time that books began exploring the meanings of flowers. Through the power of the flower, people discovered how entire conversations could be carried out with a single flower. Like many flowers, the rose holds different meanings depending upon color or time this stoic flower is delivered. The following are some of the many popular meanings for the rose:

Red: Love, Beauty, Romantic Love Red (Dark): Unconscious beauty Red (Single): I desire you Red Rosebud: Purity, Loveliness Red and White together: Unity Red and Yellow together: Happy Feelings White: Innocence, Silence, Reverence Yellow: Joy, Gladness, Friendship, Delight Yellow with Red Lining: Friendship, Falling in Love Pink: Appreciation, Admiration, Gentleness Light Pink: Sympathy, Grace, Sweetness Lavender: Enchantment Blue: Impossible, Unattainable Peach: Closing the deal, Sincerity, Gratitude, Modesty Orange: Enthusiasm, Fascination Black: Death, Departure White Rosebud: Girlhood
Thornless Rose: Love at first sight

As you can plainly see, the rose is more than just a flower. It is the main character in the love affair of life, for its many different things too many different people at many different times. One day it symbolizes friendship, the next day love. Another day it is joy, the following evening sorrow. Whatever meaning you attribute the rose, you cannot deny the power of this ancient flower and its ability to move.

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