Botanical Name: Rosa Centifolia
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Rosales
Family: Rosaceae
Genus: Rosa
Species: R. centifolia
Popular Names: Red Rose, Pink Rose
Parts Used: Red Rose petals, Pink Rose petals, Rose oil, Rose leaves, Rose buds, Rose Calyx, Rose roots.
Habitat: Cultivated throughout India
Description
Rose plants are usually shrubby, in appearance with long drooping canes and greyish green leaves. The flowers are round and globular, with thin overlapping petals that are highly scented. The shrub is erect, with a height of 3 to 6 feet. The branches are closely covered with nearly straight prickles. The shoots of the plant are also erect. The leaves are unequally pinnate and there are 5 to 7 leaflets, which are oblong or ovate. The flowers of rose plant, which account for the petals, are large and pinkish or red in colour. The flowers vary in hues, form and size. There are 100 documented varieties of flowers from this plant.
Plant Chemicals
The petals contain volatile oil, tannic acid, colouring matter, saccharine matter, mineral salts, and salts of malic and tartaric acids, etc. In addition to substantial proportions of vitamin C, rose petals contain other chemical amalgams, which comprise 11 per cent of pectin and three per cent of a mix of malic and citric acids. Researchers are of the opinion that the presence of malic acid and citric acid is the reason behind the laxative and diuretic effects.
Uses and Benefits of Rose Petals
- Rose petals are rejuvenating and prove to be a tonic.
- They are used to treat internal asthma, high blood pressure, bronchitis, slow circulation, diarrhoea, dysmenorrhoea (painful menstruation), cough, fever and fluid retention, indigestion, insomnia, palpitation, stress and urinary tract infections.
- Due to their strong and pleasant fragrance, rose petals are used for making essential oils and perfumes.
- They are ingested as a tea to provide a comforting effect and diminish body temperatures during high fevers.
- The tea also effectively cleanses toxins and heat from the body.
- The infusion prepared from the rose petals is used to alleviate cold and flu symptoms.
- The infusion is also effective in treating sore throats, runny nose and congested bronchial tracts.
- The petals effectively combat infections in the digestive system and restore the normal and essential bacteria in the intestines.
- They have a diuretic effect and hence, are beneficial in relieving excessive fluids from the urinary bladder.
- Rose petals help to get rid of the waste and toxic substances in the body, through the kidneys.
- They alleviate the problems of insomnia, depression, fatigue and comfort tetchiness.
