Whoever gives roses also reveals their feelings. Without words, just through the effect of the color of the flowers. Each color has its own meaning in the flower language of love. The claim of red roses is widely known. But what about blue roses? Do they even exist? And if so, what message of love do they bring to the recipient?
Where do blue roses grow?
There are many blue flowers in the large family of flowering plants. However, nature did not intend blue roses. Neither in this country nor in any distant country has a blue rose ever been discovered. It was and is a product of imagination and longing. And because strong desires push for fulfillment, the blue rose is still a part of our real world. As a motif in art but also as a living flower into which the color was subsequently breathed.
Why there are no “real” blue roses
A rose bush comes to new life in spring and creates beautiful flowers. He uses “almost” the entire color palette. However, the rose bush can never naturally produce a dye: blue.
- the genetic material for blue is completely missing
- Roses are slightly acidic in origin
- too acidic for the blue tone
- Blue needs a neutral PH value
But why is the desire for the blue rose even there? It may have originally been sparked by a fairy tale. There is a lot to be said for it.
The Tale of the Blue Rose
In distant China there lived an emperor whose daughter didn't want to get married. The emperor urged his daughter, but she stubbornly refused. Probably also because no one was able to win her heart. In order to be left alone, she set an impossible condition: the marriage applicant had to bring her a blue rose. She got a blue gemstone rose, a dyed rose and a painted one. But of course, no one was able to bring her a real, live blue rose. She wasn't unhappy about that at all.
But then true love came
Then a traveling singer came to the capital and the two fell in love. Now the princess also wanted to get married. She was sad because her own condition had now become an obstacle. But the lover was not deterred and promised her that he would come to the palace the next day with a blue rose. There he stood before the emperor, a white rose in his hand and asked for the princess's hand in marriage. “But the rose is white,” said the emperor. “No, the rose is blue,” objected the princess. The emperor relented, after all he wanted to finally see his daughter married. He gave the couple a country house and many white roses were planted in the garden. However, it was always just called the “blue garden”.
Tip:
The fairy tale of the blue rose is of course a lot longer than this short summary. If you want to read it in its entirety, you can easily find it on the Internet.
Blue roses as a symbol of fulfilled love
In the Far East, the demand for blue roses is particularly high because of the fairy tale. They are often given as gifts for engagements and weddings and are intended to bring the couple fulfilled love forever. Just like in a fairy tale. For this purpose, extra white roses are dyed blue. Always looking for something special and unique, people in Europe have now discovered the blue rose for themselves. However, your triumphant march is only just beginning.
Blue roses, their meaning in the West
In Asia, the love message of the blue rose is clear: it stands for perfect and fulfilled love. In the West, however, the blue rose is given another meaning. Perhaps because the naturally growing blue rose does not exist and is only a pipe dream, it has also developed into a symbol of unfulfilled longing. In flower shops in this country, even a dyed blue rose is a rarity. If you reach for it, you might also say to the recipient: “You are unique and extraordinary like this rose.”
Breded “blue roses” are purple
The dream of the blue rose challenged rose breeders. Their ambition was awakened; many wanted to grow this longed-for rose. Over the centuries, attempts have been made to achieve a blue rose color by crossing existing rose varieties. But success never came. The hoped-for blue turned into a purple at best, nothing more. The futility of these attempts has now been clarified; genetic engineering clearly shows why a blue rose cannot be created in this way. According to the law of heredity, the new rose can only form colors from the existing genetic material of the roses.
Blue roses from the genetic laboratory
The age of genetic engineering has not stopped at roses. First, genetic engineering provided the explanation why a truly blue rose could not be bred conventionally: it lacked the “blue” gene. It then showed a way in which a blue rose can still bloom: through genetic manipulation. And the genetic researchers at the Australian company Florigene have actually succeeded in this project. “Applause”, a genetically modified rose that produces blue-violet flowers, has been available since 2009. It is already approved on the Asian market. Although it costs several times more than any other rose, the demand is huge.
Rose fertilizer for a bright blue
What the genetic researchers have not yet managed to achieve convincingly, Dutch researchers now seem to have succeeded. They grew a blue rose without genetic engineering. Their secret remedy is a special fertilizer containing cob alt, which is given to the roses early in spring. The result is rose petals in a strong blue. It's only a matter of time before this fertilizer hits the garden market.
Buy blue roses
If you want to buy blue roses to express your feelings in a floral way, you don't have to travel far. Some flower shops also offer blue colored roses. There are also some rose varieties available for the garden that have the term “blue” in their name. However, they give a hint of blue rather than actually being blue. These varieties are still beautiful. Until the time comes that blue roses grow, they can decorate our gardens.
Note:
In Europe, genetically modified products may only be sold if they receive approval. The approval process is lengthy, so it may take a while before genetically modified roses are available here.
How to dye roses blue, this is how it works
Growing a blue rose proved impossible. Developing a shimmering bluish rose through genetic manipulation took 20 years. Dressing a rose in a blue robe at home, however, only takes a few days. Everything you need is easy to obtain and extremely cheap. You need:
- white roses in the desired number
- a flower vase
- Water
- blue ink or blue food coloring
- and a few days of patience
And this is how to dye roses step by step:
- Buy white roses in the desired number. These should still be tightly closed or at most just a little bloomed.
- Fill the vase with tap water.
- Add a few drops of blue ink or food coloring to the water until it turns dark blue.
- Cut the rose stems diagonally with a sharp knife so that they can absorb plenty of colored water.
- Let the roses stand in the blue water until you like the blue color of the flowers.
Once the roses have taken on a blue shade, you can use them to send your personal message of love. Provided, of course, that the recipient knows the language of flowers or gets a little help.
Tip:
Dyeing takes a few days. Especially if you want to give the blue roses as gifts, they should last as long as possible. Therefore, buy the white roses from the florist as you can find good quality here.
