Will There Ever Be a Blue Rose?

Will There Ever Be a Blue Rose?

The rose has come a long way, and its journey does not seem to have come to an end. Many new techniques of breeding and cultivation are being integrated into this industry. Few flowers can produce the different shades of color that roses do. Which color fascinates you the most? White, yellow, pink, dark crimson, or maroon? Most of these are the result of various methods of crossbreeding.

As an example, did you know that while people speak of “red” roses, true red flowers were originally absent from the rose family? The family lacks the gene that causes the red pigment. The bright-red color is a result of a genetic mutation about 1930, eventually resulting in the vibrant-red colors seen in roses today. In all rose varieties, one color was long missing—blue. The gene for producing blue, delphinidin, does not occur naturally in the rose family. However, after years of joint research by an Australian company and a Japanese company, a “blue” rose was created in 2004 using genetic engineering. Further effort is needed, though, to achieve a bluer hue.