Common Name: Damask Rose

General Information

Rosa x damascena is a very prickly, deciduous shrub that can grow up to 2 metres tall.
The Damask Rose has been cultivated n Europe since at least the early 16th century, being valued as an ornamental and medicinal plant, and as the source of a high quality essential oil[]. The plant has also been used in various ways as a food.

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

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Range

W. Asia? This species is a hybrid of garden origin.

Habitat

Not known in a truly wild situation, this species is probably a hybrid involving R. centifolia[, ].

Properties

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

Cultivation Details

Rosa x damascena is a very cold-hardy plant, being able to tolerate temperatures down to around -30°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[, ]. The plant resists frost[].
A very ornamental plant[], the flowers are very fragrant[]. This species is commonly cultivated for its essential oil[]. It is a parent of many varieties of perpetual-flowering garden roses[].
Rose species will often hybridize freely with other members of the genus[].
Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus[].

Edible Uses

Young shoots - raw or cooked[, ]. Eaten as a delicacy[]. Best used when they are still red-coloured, they are peeled before being eaten[]. The young leaves are eaten as a lalab (a vegetable salad that is served with sambal and is often eaten with rice)[].

The dried young flowers are a source of rosebuds. These are used as a flavouring, including in the Moroccan spice mix ras-el-hanout[].

Petals - cooked. They are the source of 'attar of roses' and 'rose water', and are used as a flavouring for drinks, sweets, baked goods, ice cream etc[]. The petals are also used to make jam[].

The essential oil obtained from the flowers is used as a flavouring and aroma in foodstuffs[].

The fruits (more correctly the hips) are used to make beverages and sweets[]. The fruit is about 25mm in diameter[], but there is only a thin layer of flesh surrounding the many seeds[]. Some care has to be taken when eating the fruit, see the notes above on known hazards.

The leaves are used as a seasoning[].

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[].

Medicinal

The flowers are astringent, calmative, laxative[]. The petals are made into a preserve and used as a tonic that helps to put on weight[].
The petals are applied externally as an astringent to treat conditions such as haemorrhoids[, ].

The buds (the report does not say if it is leaf or flower buds) are aperient, astringent, cardiac and tonic[]. They are used for removing bile and cold humours[].

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[].

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

An essential oil obtained from the flowers is much used for perfumery and as a flavouring[, , , ]. 1,000g of flowers yields 0.5g of oil[].

The flowers, and their various extracts, are used as ingredients in commercial cosmetic preparations as antioxidants, astringents, masking agents, skin conditioners and tonics[].

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[].