Common Name: Provence Rose

General Information

Rosa centifolia is a very prickly, deciduous shrub of lax habit; it can grow up to 2 metres tall. The plant produces a few suckers[, ].
The Provence Rose is a hybrid of garden origin that is cultivated for its high class and expensive essential oil and also as an ornamental. The plant is also used for food and medicine[].

Known Hazards

There is a layer of hairs around the seeds just beneath the flesh of the fruit. These hairs can cause irritation to the mouth and digestive tract if ingested.

Botanical References

,

Range

A garden hybrid of uncertain origin

Habitat

Not known in a truly wild situation.

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Shrub
Height	1.50 m
Pollinators	Insects, Self
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Rosa centifolia is a moderately cold-hardy plant, being able to tolerate temperatures down to around -20°c when fully dormant[].
Most Rosa species require a sunny position if they are to flourish and flower well. They prefer a circumneutral pH, succeeding in a range of soil texturess so long as they are moist but well-drained[, ].
A very ornamental plant[], there are many named forms developed for their ornamental value[]. The flowers are fragrant[]. The Provence rose is often cultivated for its essential oil in southern France and Morocco[, ]. It is closely related to Rosa damascena and Rosa gallica[].
Plants produce a few suckers[].
Rose species will often hybridize freely with other members of the genus[].
Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw or cooked. The red, globose to ellipsoid fruit has a pulpy flesh[]. It is best after it has been softened and sweetened by frost. There is only a thin layer of flesh surrounding the many seeds[]. Some care has to be taken when eating this fruit, see the notes above on known hazards.

The seed of roses is generally a good source of vitamin E, it can be ground into a powder and mixed with flour or added to other foods as a supplement[, ]. Be sure to remove the seed hairs[].

The flowers are used for flavouring and scenting tea, wine, vinegar and honey[, , , , ].
The petals are preserved in sugar and used as a delicacy[]. They are also used in making jam and can be added to fruit pies as a flavouring[].

The buds can be pickled in white vinegar and sugar, or ground up with sugar, to make a conserve[].
The dried young flowers are a source of rosebuds. This species is one of the principal sources of the red rosebuds and pink rosebuds of commerce. These are used as a flavouring, including in the Moroccan spice mix ras-el-hanout[].

Medicinal

The leaves are used medicinally[].

The root is astringent[].

The petals are mildly laxative[]. A syrup made from the petals is used to treat infantile diseases and constipatio in infants[, ].

We have no specific information for this species, but the fruit of many members of this genus is a rich source of vitamins and minerals, especially vitamins A, C and E, flavanoids and other bio-active compounds. It is also a fairly good source of essential fatty acids, which is fairly unusual for a fruit. Rose fruits are being investigated as a food that is capable of reducing the incidence of cancer and also as a means of halting or reversing the growth of cancers[].

The essential oil obtained from the flowers is used in aromatherapy. Its keyword is 'Cleansing'[].

Agroforestry Uses:

Rose species in general grow well with alliums, parsley, mignonette and lupins[, ]. Garlic planted nearby can help protect the plant from disease and insect predation[, ]. Roses often grow badly with boxwood[].

Other Uses

Various parts of the plant are used as ingredients in commercial cosmetic preparations[].
The flowers and their essential oils are used as abrasives, astringents, masking agents, skin conditioners and tonics[]
The stems are used as emollients and skin conditioners[].

A high quality essential oil is obtained from the flowers, it is used in perfumery[, , , ].

The dried petals are used in pot-pourri[].

Propagation

Seed - This is a hybrid species and does not breed true from seed.
Seed. Rose seed often takes two years to germinate. This is because it may need a warm spell of weather after a cold spell in order to mature the embryo and reduce the seedcoat[]. One possible way to reduce this time is to scarify the seed and then place it for 2 - 3 weeks in damp peat at a temperature of 27 - 32°c (by which time the seed should have imbibed). It is then kept at 3°c for the next 4 months by which time it should be starting to germinate[]. Alternatively, it is possible that seed harvested 'green' (when it is fully developed but before it has dried on the plant) and sown immediately will germinate in the late winter. This method has not as yet(1988) been fully tested[]. Seed sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame sometimes germinates in spring though it may take 18 months. Stored seed can be sown as early in the year as possible and stratified for 6 weeks at 5°c[]. It may take 2 years to germinate[]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle. Plant out in the summer if the plants are more than 25cm tall, otherwise grow on in a cold frame for the winter and plant out in late spring.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood with a heel, July in a shaded frame. Overwinter the plants in the frame and plant out in late spring[]. High percentage[].
Cuttings of mature wood of the current seasons growth. Select pencil thick shoots in early autumn that are about 20 - 25cm long and plant them in a sheltered position outdoors or in a cold frame[, ]. The cuttings can take 12 months to establish but a high percentage of them normally succeed[].
Division of suckers in the dormant season. Plant them out direct into their permanent positions.
Layering. Takes 12 months[].