The rose is the most beloved flower in the world — a symbol of love and beauty cultivated for more than 5,000 years. With thousands of varieties in nearly every color, from wild species roses to modern hybrid teas, it is as varied as it is iconic. This guide covers what the rose means, the main types worth knowing, and how to grow and care for it.

Rose at a glance

• Botanical name: Rosa (family Rosaceae)
• Bloom season: late spring through autumn, depending on variety
• Symbolism: love, passion, beauty, and devotion
• Birth flower: the rose is June’s birth flower

Rose meaning and symbolism

For millennia the rose has stood for love and beauty. It was sacred to the goddesses Aphrodite and Venus, exchanged as a token of secrecy in ancient Rome (sub rosa, “under the rose”), and adopted as the national flower of both the United States and England. Its exact message, though, depends on color.

• Red rose — deep love and passion
• White rose — purity, innocence, and remembrance
• Pink rose — gratitude, grace, and admiration
• Yellow rose — friendship and joy
• Orange rose — desire and enthusiasm
• Lavender rose — enchantment and love at first sight

Popular types of roses

Roses are grouped into a few broad classes, each with its own habit and charm:

• Hybrid tea — the classic long-stemmed florist rose, one bloom per stem
• Floribunda — clusters of blooms, prolific and colorful
• Grandiflora — tall plants combining hybrid-tea form with floribunda clusters
• Climbing roses — long canes trained over arches, walls, and trellises
• Shrub and English (David Austin) roses — hardy, full-petaled, and fragrant
• Old garden roses — heritage varieties prized for scent and history

How to grow and care for roses

Roses have a reputation for being fussy, but a few fundamentals keep most varieties thriving:

• Sun: at least six hours of direct sunlight a day
• Soil: rich, well-drained soil with plenty of organic matter
• Water: deep, regular watering at the base — keep foliage dry to prevent disease
• Feeding: feed through the growing season with a balanced rose fertilizer
• Pruning: prune in late winter or early spring to remove dead wood and shape the plant
• Airflow: space plants for good circulation to reduce black spot and mildew

Roses as gifts and in bouquets

Because their color carries so much meaning, roses let you tailor a bouquet to the message: red for romance, pink for gratitude, white for sympathy or weddings, yellow for friendship. To keep cut roses fresh, trim the stems at an angle, strip any leaves below the waterline, and change the water every couple of days. A well-kept bouquet will last a week or more.

Rose FAQs

What does a rose symbolize?

The rose symbolizes love, beauty, and devotion. Its precise meaning depends on color: red for love, white for purity, pink for gratitude, and yellow for friendship.

What month is the rose the birth flower for?

The rose is the birth flower for June, where it symbolizes love, passion, and devotion.

Are roses hard to grow?

Not especially, if you meet their basic needs: full sun, rich well-drained soil, regular deep watering, and annual pruning. Modern shrub and landscape roses in particular are bred to be low-maintenance and disease-resistant.

How long do cut roses last?

With fresh water, angled stem cuts, and leaves kept out of the water, cut roses typically last seven to ten days. Keeping them cool and out of direct sun extends their life.

What is the most fragrant type of rose?

Old garden roses and English (David Austin) roses are prized for their strong, classic rose scent, while many modern hybrid teas have been bred more for form and color than fragrance.

Explore more

Browse more flower profiles, learn about flower meanings, or find your birth flower.