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"For You a Rose"

   

    

     Through the research that I have gathered, it is apparent that the rose has played a very prevalent role in society and in the media for quite some time.  For example, parlor songs that date back to the early 1900s even refer to the rose in their lyrics.  Some examples of classic oldies that include this delightful flower are: "Roses Bring Dreams of You" (1907), "In the Heart of a Rose" (1912), "For You a Rose" (1917), and "When You Look in a Heart of a Rose" (1918), along with multiple others. 

    Today, the rose is still present in many songs, like OutKast's "Roses."  Furthermore, as the media

expanded from solely the radio to television and magazines, so the use of the rose spread. 

One example is the popular Rose Bowl. This is the ultimate game for college football teams to partake in.  This event not only has the beloved rose in its title, but a plethora of rose floats are created for the occasion.  Also, for those readers who watch the ABC show, "The Bachelor," you are well aware of the significance that the rose plays there: if you are handed a rose you stay, if not, you're going home. 

     So it is easy to see that the rose is commonly referred to and used, but what is the reason behind this?  I believe that the writers of the Parlor Songs site summarized it best when they said that the rose is "the ultimate floral expression of intense love or emotion."  Another reason for its popularity may be the "sexual connotation and symbolism of the female that roses seem to carry."  So when the Bachelor hands a rose to the fortunate ladies that get to remain on the show, it symbolizes that he is searching for love and a wife, not a fling.  So the use of a daisy, though this flower is very beautiful, would not carry the same meaning because it is known for its playful connotation which would create a much different image of what the show is really about in the minds of the audience.

     Although the rose is referenced many times in the media, I have to admit that it is probably not Rosa multiflora that is being eluded to.  But what distinguishes the common rose from Rosa multiflora?  Is there a difference?  Well for starters, both species of roses have the same classification until the species name.  In addition, the researched morphology of the rose in comparison to the multiflora rose is very similar: the rose is a perennial shrub, many being protected by sharp thorns; its leaves are alternate and pinnately compound with sharply toothed oval-shaped leaflets; and its fleshy edible fruit is also called a rose hip.  These characteristics exactly mirror that of Rosa multiflora.  In other words, by reading the description of each species, they appear to be exactly the same.  But why then do they look so different?  The difference lies in the abundance and voraciousness of the species, and in flower appearance and color. 

     To begin our comparison, let's start with the distribution of each species. Rosa multiflora can be found almost anywhere in the United States, no matter the environment. To give you, the reader, a better idea of the multiflora rose's abundance in the U.S., please refer to the distribution picture on the habitat page.  The common rose, on the other hand, is a more delicate species and needs to be pruned and pampered by the human hand.  Therefore, there is not an abundance of common roses in the wild; the multiflora rose is not only abundant, but thrives in the wild.  Furthermore, the common rose can have a number of different flower colors.  Rosa multiflora, on the other hand, can only be found in white or pink.  In addition, when comparing specimens, it is apparent that the overall flower structure is much different.           

Continue learning about this interesting species by clicking on Reproduction. Or to review, click on Adaptation.