Why Not Every Rose is a Fragrant Rose

The rose is the queen of flowers, the most beloved bloom of all. It's impossible to imagine our gardens without it, and wherever it grows, it enriches its surroundings.

Roses come in countless shapes, colors, and varieties. No other plant is as popular as the rose, and at the same time, no other plant is as carefully protected.

Wer eine Rose in der Hand hat, macht immer zuerst das Gleiche. Daran riechen. Was auch sonst, schließlich ist auch der Duft der Rose genauso bekannt wie die Pflanze selbst. Kein Wunder, denn Duftrosen locken nicht nur Insekten an. In unseren Gärten sind Duftrosen sehr beliebt. Mal frisch und fruchtig, mal sinnlich und romantisch – Duftrosen bringen alle Blumenliebhaber ins Schwärmen und sorgen für ein einzigartiges Dufterlebnis.aWhen someone holds a rose, they instinctively do the same thing: they smell it. And why not? The rose's fragrance is as famous as the flower itself. It's no wonder, as fragrant roses don't just attract insects; they're incredibly popular in our gardens. Sometimes fresh and fruity, sometimes sensual and romantic, fragrant roses captivate all flower lovers and provide a truly unique olfactory experience.

It's a common feeling nowadays to sniff a beautiful rose only to find it lacks an intense scent. This isn't surprising, as nearly 90 percent of new rose varieties have very little or no fragrance at all. This is due to the inheritance pattern of the gene responsible for scent.

So, it's not as simple as just "whipping up" a new fragrant rose. If you cross two fragrant roses, the new hybrid often won't be fragrant. It's only when these hybrids are crossed with each other again that a truly fragrant rose emerges. This complex genetic interplay explains why the captivating perfume we associate with roses is becoming increasingly rare in modern varieties.

The new fragrant varieties, as beautiful as they are, are particularly susceptible to diseases. Just as with humans, inbreeding can occur in plants, and this happens in the breeding of fragrant roses, which weakens the plant. This makes it very difficult for breeders to create healthy AND fragrant roses. However, as the demand for fragrant roses continues to rise, breeders have specialized in cultivating healthy, scented varieties and are even finding success!