A rose by any other name…
Rosa damascene is a member of the Rosaceae family and is also known as the Turkish rose, Bulgarian rose or damask rose. A native of the Orient, it is now grown throughout the Middle East, Levant and Mediterranean regions. It grows to 2.5m in height and is very thorny with delicate, highly-perfumed petals and grey-green leaves. The plant favours light, well-drained soil and flourishes at altitude. It is best propagated by hard-wood cuttings as seed germination is poor and, at best, erratic.
This is one of the earliest cultivated roses and has been used cosmetically and pharmaceutically for over 3,000 years. In Cyprus it is known as Triantaphillia and has been cultivated commercially for centuries in the Agros region. Tradition associates the rose with Venus, the goddess of love, and is followed today by its presence in over 90 per cent of women’s cosmetics. Sappho described it as the ‘Queen of flowers’. It was strewn at Roman festivals and ceremonies, and filled the baths of the nobility.
There are over ten thousand types of cultivated roses but none approach the aroma of damascena, which is why it is so highly valued by the cosmetic industry. It may take over 18 tonnes of rose petals to produce 1 kilo of rose oil by steam distillation. The process is extremely labour intensive and, whilst once centred in the old command economies such as Bulgaria, it is now mainly produced in India, Iran, Turkey, Syria and Lebanon. Another method of extraction is to make concretes and absolutes by using solvents.
There is no such thing as cheap rose oil, consequently the cosmetic industry has concentrated on producing a synthetic version, although the premier perfume houses insist on natural oil, hence the high cost of their essences. Rose water is a by-product of oil distillation and is a constituent of many oriental confectioneries as well as being an excellent skin-toner and cleanser, but beware of water containing preservatives.
Apart from the oil and water, rose petals make an excellent tea, which may be taken for sore throats or irritating coughs, it cools the blood and acts gently on the liver and stomach. Cold tea may also be used as a cleanser for many skin conditions and as a soothe to sore and inflamed eyes. It is also used as a gargle by singers and public speakers as it is known to relax the larynx and calm the nerves.
As a massage oil, it has many applications. There are over 300 compounds in the oil and aromatherapists claim that they can treat conditions ranging through eczema , herpes, wrinkles, depression, poor circulation, hay fever, asthma, uterine disorders, impotence, frigidity and stress related complaints. Quite a handfull.
In addition to the above, the seed pod or rose hip, is a major source of vitamin C. The first plant in which it was discovered, the pulp also contains vitamins A, B1 and B2. A tea will treat gall and kidney stones and maintain a healthy collagen.
Next week…………….. Liquorice
