Damask Rose
Rosa damascena
Family: Rosaceae · Also called Bulgarian Rose, Rose de Mai, Turkish Rose
Floral · Spring–Summer bloomer
The Damask rose is the fragrance industry's most treasured flower. Unlike showy modern roses bred for form, the Damask is modest in appearance, loose, soft-pink blooms with 30-40 petals. But its scent is incomparable: a deep, complex fragrance that has defined the concept of 'rose' in perfumery for millennia.
perfection of beauty, divine love, paradise
In the Victorian language of flowers, damask rose means “Perfection of beauty”. The Damask rose has been cultivated in the Middle East for over 3,000 years. Bulgaria's Rose Valley (Kazanlak) produces the majority of the world's rose oil during a frantic 3-week harvest in June. In Sufi poetry, the rose represents divine beauty and the beloved.
Did You Know?
The harvest window for Damask roses is brutally short, flowers must be hand-picked before dawn during a 20-day window in May-June, when their oil content peaks. Workers start at 4 AM. A single drop of rose otto requires about 60 roses.
Cultivated in rose valleys of Bulgaria, Turkey, Iran, and Morocco
Damask Rose is native to Middle East. It naturally grows in cultivated in rose valleys of bulgaria, turkey, iran, and morocco.
Scent Profile
“The gold standard of rose fragrance, a deep, honeyed, spicy richness that is richer and more complex than any modern garden rose.”
Quick Reference
- Scientific NameRosa damascena
- FamilyRosaceae
- Native ToMiddle East
- Bloom SeasonSpring–Summer
- LifespanPerennial
Cultural Significance
The Damask rose has been cultivated in the Middle East for over 3,000 years. Bulgaria's Rose Valley (Kazanlak) produces the majority of the world's rose oil during a frantic 3-week harvest in June. In Sufi poetry, the rose represents divine beauty and the beloved.