"How many petals does a rose have?" is a good question, but it is not so easy to answer. Roses, just like people, come in a multitude of shapes, sizes and variations.
However, instead of picking them apart, we at Infinity Flowerbox prefer to present our roses in beautiful arrangements. Roses are a timeless and elegant gift for many occasions, from the festive to the truly romantic.
In this article, we'll answer the question above, share some fun and different uses for rose petals in your daily life, and share some of our favorite arrangements from our assortment.
How many petals does a rose have?
Nowadays, the average rose has 20-40 petals in its flower. This is a far cry from the wild roses, the descendants of Rosa Chinensis, which have only five petals.
It is known that Rosa Chinensis was first cultivated in the rose gardens of imperial China around 500 BC. Today, however, there are over 30,000 varieties of this coveted flower. Some roses grown today have up to 60-80 petals, but these wilt faster than most - for the simple reason that more petals use more energy, giving these roses a shorter lifespan than others. Such flowers only thrive in man-made growing conditions.
However, the dramatic increase in the number of petals on the average rose from five to 25 did not happen overnight. It took centuries of cultivation, hybridization and technical innovation.
The Rose Renaissance in Paris
At the beginning of the 18th century, rose cultivation experienced an enormous boom thanks to the work of Josephine Bonaparte, Napoleon's wife at the time. Her world-famous flower garden was named Malmaison and her favorite flower was the rose. She sought out the rarest varieties from all over the world and commissioned the best gardeners in France to experiment with cross-breeding. By 1813, there were almost 200 different rose varieties in the 650-hectare garden, making Paris the rose capital of the world.
From then on, the popularity of the rose grew rapidly throughout the world. By 1830, there were more than 2,500 rose varieties in Paris, thanks in large part to Josephine Bonaparte and her gardeners at Malmaison. After her death, the breeding infrastructure she had built up was further renewed and finally produced the hybrid tea rose in 1867, which is still one of the most popular rose varieties today.
What are Infinity roses?
As cultivation methods have become more sophisticated, there are now roses with more petals, new and vibrant colors and thousands of new variations of this timeless bloom. It is only natural that growers and florists in the 21st century have tried to answer the question often asked by rose lovers:
Is it possible to extend the natural lifespan of a rose?
An average bouquet of roses will last a week in water. If you change the water daily and keep the bouquet in a cool, dry place, you can get the best out of your bouquet. But these measures will only keep your flowers fresh for so long before they start to wilt and eventually wither.
With an Infinity Flowerbox, you can enjoy your beautiful flower arrangement for much longer, as they will last for years with the right care. Our innovative Infinity roses are state of the art and, we believe, beyond Josephine Bonaparte's wildest dreams. These delicate, fragrant blooms are made from 100% real roses sourced from the rose fields of Ecuador.
Thanks to the powerful equatorial sunshine they enjoy all year round, these flowers are more voluminous and have more petals than the average market rose. And thanks to the innovative preservation methods we have developed over the years, they will last for years with the right care. You can read all the important information in the blog post "7 things you didn't know about Infinity roses" to enjoy your roses for a long time.
Breathtaking arrangements that last a long time
Enjoy the abundance and color variation of our Infinity Flowerboxes. Our beautiful roses are hand-arranged with attention to detail in elegant black or white hat boxes by our florists. Our rose arrangements not only embody elegance itself, but also carry the same rich fragrance that we expect from a rose. See our large Infinity assortment for yourself now and visit our online store.
Many petals, many uses...
Now that we know how many petals are in an average rose, we thought it would be interesting to show you some uses for fresh rose petals that you can easily recreate at home. From decorative to practical, you'll be amazed at what you can do with the petals of this incredible flower.
Before you start
The first thing to bear in mind when using rose petals is that they are very fragile and do not keep for long. For this reason, it is much easier to work with dried rose petals than with fresh ones. We recommend using fresh rose petals and drying them at home. This can be done in five simple steps:
Get a supply of fresh rose petals picked when in bloom, ideally from flowers that have not been treated with chemicals.
Then wash your leaves in filtered water, taking care to drain them thoroughly.
Place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and spread the cleaned petals in a single layer on the tray.
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees and leave the petals in the oven until all the moisture has dried out. The petals should become crispy and break apart like potato chips. If they are still pliable, bake them for another two minutes and test again.
Once they are completely dry, store the petals in a sealed container, preferably in a place where they are not exposed to direct sunlight. You can now use your self-dried petals however you like!
With that out of the way, let's take a look at our favorite uses for these beautiful and versatile petals!
Rose water
The simplest and perhaps most practical product on this list is rose water! Rose water is equally cosmetic and therapeutic and can be used in homemade beauty products or for simple aromatherapy. All you need is a few fresh rose petals and filtered spring water.
Rose water can be kept for up to six months, so this is a cost-effective way of getting the maximum fragrance out of the fresh flowers, so to speak.
Homemade potpourri
It's easy to make your own dried rose petals into potpourri so that the long-withered flowers can fill your home with a lingering fragrance.
To do this, simply mix your dried petals in a bowl with additional fragrances, whereby we particularly recommend cloves, star anise, dried orange peel or cinnamon sticks.
If you want to go the extra mile, you can pack the flowers in decorative bags and tie them together with a ribbon. These can make a pretty accent in your linen cupboard or sock drawer.
Rose lip balm
The fusion of oil with rose petals is a slightly more lengthy process, taking around three to four weeks, but the result is a lovely lip balm, especially when combined with peppermint or sage to give it a little more zing.
For oil, we prefer sunflower oil, but there are many alternatives. Olive oil, avocado oil and apricot kernel oil are all good options for your lip balm.
Concluding remarks
Whether you want to grow your own roses, experiment with dried rose petals or are just curious about roses, we hope you've learned a few new things about our favorite flower in this article.
If you're looking for a floral arrangement to give as a gift - be it for romance, gratitude or any other reason - you can't go wrong with one of our infinity rose arrangements .