Red roses are the most elegant flowers. The color red draws so much attention to human beings, that we have not hesitated for a moment to cultivate the precious plants that produce them, we have even given them a meaning due to which we give them away on special days and moments.
They are part of our history, our culture and our life. Red roses are so beautiful that having them on the patio is a pleasure for the eyes and for the smell, as they give off a very pleasant aroma.
History of roses
The rose bushes began the path of evolution during the Paleolithic, about 2,85 million years ago. Fossilized remains have been found in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, although the origin of these plants is believed to be in what we now know as Asia.
If we take into account that rose bushes need a lot of water to grow, we can get an idea of what the climate was like in their habitat at that time. Regular rains, maximum temperatures not too high, and perhaps severe frosts; not in vain, during the Paleolithic there were several glaciations.
Much more recently, in Cleopatra's Egypt (January 69 BC - August 30 BC), the aforementioned pharaoh was fascinated by roses. She used them, not only to keep herself beautiful, but also to beautify her palaces. Some say that he used to create petal rugs up to 30cm thick, which undoubtedly must have been magnificent.
For its part, the Romans also took advantage of them, even more if possible. From them they extracted the essential oil of roses and bathed by pouring it into the water to take care of the skin. In addition, they adorned the floors with thousands of petals, and they also served to flavor wines or prepare desserts.
Red roses and tradition
In Spain we celebrate several days in which the red rose is the undisputed protagonist: Saint Valentine and Sant Jordi. The first is much better known as it is celebrated throughout the country; while the second is celebrated more in the Mediterranean region. Let's see what stories they have behind:
Valentine (February 14)
Saint Valentine, or Valente who had an older brother named Valentinian. The former ruled the eastern provinces of the empire whose capital was Constantinople, while the latter ruled the western provinces with its capital in Milan. At that time, the persecutions of Christians were constant. The Catholic Church has remembered its martyrs by rewarding them with the title of Saint, proclaiming it the days of their executions. Valentinian was one of the martyrs.
San Jordi (April 23)
Legend has it that many years ago an evil dragon terrorized the town of Montblanc (Catalonia), killing their animals and polluting the air and water with his stinky breath. He was getting closer and closer to the walls, so they began to feed him sheep; when they ran out, they gave him oxen, and then horses.
When there was nothing left, they had no choice but to sacrifice their own inhabitants, pouting all the names, including the king's and the princess's. Every day an innocent hand decided who died the next day, and one afternoon the princess was chosen. She went to her sad destiny, but when the dragon advanced towards her, a gentleman dressed in white arose from the mist on a white horse that wounded the feared beast. The dragon was carried away from the walls, where it was finished off by the knight. In that instant rose from the earth a rosebush of precious red roses. The gentleman's name was, indeed, Jorge, or Jordi.
What meaning do they have?
Red roses are often given to a loved one, as the color red is associated with love, But also to vitality and passion. It is a color that brings confidence, optimism and strength to go ahead and achieve what you set out to do. Therefore, it is the perfect detail that you can give that special person to start (or end) the day on the right foot.
What care do they require?
Rose bushes that produce red flowers require the same care as those that produce flowers of other colors, which are as follows:
- Location: outside in full sun or in semi-shade. If you choose to put them in semi-shade, it is important to know that they must be in a very bright corner.
- Irrigation: very frequent, especially in summer. During the warm months it is necessary to water every 2 days, being able to water every day if the temperature rises above 30ºC; the rest of the year two or three times a week will suffice.
- Subscriber: During the warm months it must be paid with a fertilizer for rose bushes, following the indications specified on the package.
- Soil or substrate: it is not demanding, but if it is grown in a pot it is recommended that it has good drainage.
- Pruning: withered flowers must be removed. In February (in the Northern Hemisphere) all the stems have to be trimmed, lowering their height by 5-10cm depending on the size of the plant. This will give rise to new shoots and therefore the plant will produce more flowers.
- Rusticity: withstands frosts down to -4ºC.
We hope you liked this your special red roses 🙂.