WHAT IS A ROSE PETAL?

Roses are a flowering bush that’s been cultivated for thousands of years.  You’d never know it, but they are in the same plant family as strawberries.  Different colors carry different cultural meanings – red for fertility, white for purity, yellow for friendship and wisdom, blue for secret love, pink for female refinement and black for loss and mourning.  However in combination the language of roses can change.  3 yellow roses together can mean jealousy or a shade of white (ivory) means perfection.

WHY ARE ROSE PETALS GOOD FOR YOU?

When consumed they are rich in vitamin A and E.  They were also used to help treat digestive orders in homeopathic remedies.

WHEN ARE ROSE PETALS IN SEASON?

The bloom from mid-spring up through early fall.  Most older varieties will only bloom once a year though some breeds like Grandiflora will continuously bloom.

HOW SHOULD ROSE PETALS BE STORED?

Some types of preservation techniques will essentially dry the rose either with heating or ambient temperatures.  However another easy solution is to turn them into candy!  Check out this recipe from the site Supper in the Suburbs.

WHAT SUPERSTITIONS ARE THERE FOR ROSE PETALS?

One belief is that if you hold a rose in your hand and all the petals fall off a loved one will die.  Another is that tosses roses into a flame brings good luck.  Some believe that roses planted near a grave will protect that spirit from evil.  If a woman had multiple suitors and needed to choose, rose petals would tell her.  She’d write a name on each petal and toss them into the air.  The last petal to hit the ground was the man she should choose.  The male equivalent of this involves writing names on whiskey bottles and then drinking them dry!