The Curious Meaning of Black Roses

Do Black Roses Exist in Nature?

In many cultures around the world, black flowers have always been fascinating. They are often considered rare, but possible and unique. Black flowers have been a holy grail for plant breeders, but unfortunately there is no such thing as a true black flower. As with other black flowers, black Roses are still an unsolved mystery.

Considered to be one of the most popular flowers in the world, Roses come in a variety of colors, except black. Black Rose doesn’t exist in nature, although breeders and genetic engineers are trying to make one. Despite all the modern technology available to us, we’re still trying to create a black Rose. Plants generally produce various pigments to help with photosynthesis and attracting pollinators. Since black color is actually the absence of reflected light and is not effective to attract pollinators, there are no black flowers in nature. And based on that, it’s not hard to understand why nature is so complex and unique.

The Story of the Black Roses of Halfeti

People are so obsessed with black Roses that they just cannot accept the fact that they do not occur naturally. Out of curiosity, such people are creating myths in order to safeguard their views. One such myth is that there are pure black Roses that only grow in a remote village in Turkey, and only in small quantities. A small village in Turkey called Halfeti has long been a mysterious place and people have gone there and said they’ve seen exotic black Roses. More surprisingly, there are numerous photos online showing deep black Roses that grow in this village. As with many online hoaxes, the story of the black Roses of Halfeti is just another example of fake news.

What Roses are Closest to Black?

The thing about black Roses is that they aren’t truly black, but rather a very deep shade of purple or red. There are over 150 different varieties of Roses and thousands of cultivars, but there aren’t many nearly-black varieties. Black-looking Roses are pretty rare, and hence, are very precious. These nearly-black Roses are hybrids that are bred for their color and striking patterning. Numerous years of intensive breeding resulted in varieties with very dark red and purple hues.

Here are some of the most popular near-black varieties:

‘Black Baccara’ Rose

‘Black Baccara’ Rose is the darkest Rose available on the market. The reason it’s popular is because of its lovely look and mysterious exoticism. This variety has a deep crimson color, which turns into a dark burgundy closer to the edge of the petals, in contrast with dark green leaves. Due to its deep and dark colors, ‘Black Baccara’ Rose has long been associated with mourning, tragedy and death, but it has also been known to symbolize forbidden love and devotion.

‘Black Velvet’ Rose

‘Black Velvet’ Rose is a hybrid tea variety that grows from 3 to 6 ft (1 to 2 m) tall. It has dark red and fragrant flowers, and are borne mainly on single stems. Its thick petals look like they are made of velvet, creating a unique effect.

‘Black Magic’ Rose

These Roses have one of the darkest red hues available, and can grow to be 5 to 7 ft (1,5 to 2 m) tall. ‘Black Magic’ Roses are very tempting to grow because of their lovely looks and color. Their black-red petals signify love in its various forms. This makes them ideal for romantic arrangements that will leave a lasting impression.

‘Black Jade’ Rose

This miniature, upright and vigorous Rose reaches only about 2 ft (60 cm) tall, and produces double-flowered, deep red or crimson blooms from mid-spring until fall. In some settings, the flower petals appear almost black, making it one of the world’s darkest Rose.

The Meaning of Black Roses

Black Roses are associated with various meanings that may range from messages of love and sympathy to signals of warning, but the most common meaning is death. However, they are primarily known for their mysterious and attractive appearance. They have long been associated with witches and fairies in mythology, and used in charms to bring good luck.

The History and Symbolism of the Black Rose

In ancient times, black Roses were considered as a symbol of strength, power and masculinity. They were used by ancient Romans to display and distinguish between people’s social status and public roles, and were used during their rituals to symbolize death and rebirth. The black Rose was a symbol of freedom in the Middle Ages, when there was little idea of diversity of thought or acceptance of difference. They thought that black Roses are very precious, but unreachable.

Surprisingly or not, black Roses gained their negative reputation in the Victorian Era, when they were used to symbolize death. Since then, black Roses has served as a metaphor for extremely unlikely events. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, these flowers were used as a symbol within the Sicilian mafia to send a warning. Around the same time, anarchist movements emerged and black Roses were even more popularized. Anarchists are especially fascinated by this flower, probably because of its mystery and destructive nature.

Black Roses are no longer considered harbingers of death, but they still retained their negative connotation and are associated with witchcraft and black magic.

What Do Black Roses Symbolize Today?

The most common symbolism tied to black Roses is that of death. The bad reputation of witches was connected with these beautiful flowers, casting them as a symbol of black magic and a harbinger of death. Since black color has long been associated with darkness and stealth, people believed that the black Rose was a sign of death or that death was coming. However, they would also be attracted to such flowers, and are still attracted to them. Another factor that ties black Roses to death is their appearance. Their thorns symbolize danger, and their black color has always been synonymous with evil, violence and destruction, so it’s not so surprising that black Roses are associated with death and other negative connotations such as mourning and tragedy.

Black Rose is also linked with betrayal, hatred and sadness so it’s a perfect gift to an enemy who has pursued you with relentless hate.

Secret societies and organizations have their own rituals and symbols, and some of them use the black Rose as their symbol of resistance and revenge. While some of these societies are established to protect and promote justice, others are focused toward the use of well-planned violence.

Due to their darkness and power, as well as charm and beauty, Black Roses represent forbidden love and devotion. They are also the ultimate symbol of dark sexual power.

And so, if you want to give someone a black Rose as a gift, you should know a few things about that person or at least try to convey a message. But if you receive this flower for yourself, be careful and try to find out what is hidden behind it.