Why Are Roses Red?

Red color is one of the most desirable traits in roses.

Roses are red for the same reason that an individual might have blue eyes -- genetics. Genes regulating color are part of every rose's genetic make-up and are passed from parents to offspring. Flower color can be heightened or modified through selective breeding and hybridization or altered through human-initiated genetic modification.

Origins

Modern hybrid roses -- hybrids represent the overwhelming majority of commercial roses -- are descended from species or "wild" roses, native to various areas in the Northern Hemisphere. Some of those wild roses, like the Chinese Rosa moyesii, are red, accounting for the red color of some of their descendants.

Rose Breeding

A red hybrid rose does not necessarily have two red parents, though it probably has lots of red roses in its ancestry. The 'William Shakespeare,' for example, is the red-flowered offspring of another red, 'The Squire,' and 'Mary Rose,' which has pink petals.

Color Manipulation

In roses and other plants, "red" can mean anything from brilliant scarlet to a dark, rich shade. Breeders make hundreds of crosses to create different shades of red and to enhance other traits like fragrance and hardiness.

References

• "Classic Roses"; Peter Beales; 1997