Are There Really Black Roses?

I grow black roses. Actually I have a miniature rose bush called "Black Jade", but it's really just very dark red.

This idea has fascinated gardeners for centuries, and there have been some interesting rose bed candidates. Unfortunately they have all been velvety or very dark red blooms which perhaps in the right light, or just before the buds open, seem very close to being black.

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Throughout the course of time, black roses have conjured up a variety of symbolic meanings. From unnatural worlds to death, vengeance, farewell or rebirth, they have come to be viewed in a number of different ways depending on the occasion.

Though symbolic meanings may differ, the interesting truth is that they do not even exist. What many believe to be black roses are actually dark-red colored roses, which have such a deep color that they appear to be black. Perhaps someday not too far in the future they will exist, as many in the field are working with the myriad of rose varieties and colors to come up with the coveted black formula. In the meantime, there are quite a few roses come which come close. Here are a couple of the more well-known varieties gardened in different climates from all over the world:

Black Magic One of the darkest roses, this rose has black buds before it blooms into velvety garnet flowers.

Black Baccara Perhaps the darkest, this blackberry colored rose also tends to be blacker before its blooms begin to open into velvety textured petals, growing up to four feet tall with flowers June through August.

Black Beauty This small flower begins as a burgundy bud and opens into an almost black velvet bloom.

These very dark roses should be grown in sunlight, but be attentive to potential sunburn problems. If you plan to make bouquets from your garden and are looking for something a bit darker, try adding a touch of black dye to the water in your vase.

[ Our thanks to Ken Austin for this insight. Ken Austin is the webmaster at two sites related to Roses and Rose Gardening and Gardening Tips and Tools.]

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