Rose Thorns

Well, now for the sticky part of the subject.

What should be done about all those thorns?
Thorns are actually a defense mechanism to
protect the rose from being eaten.
Since we are handling them a lot it makes
sense to remove the thorns.

There is a right way and a wrong way to
do this. All roses on the stem's outer
layer has a covering referred to as bark.
This bark is a protective layer for
the core vascular system of the
stem, and if damaged can impede the
water flow of the rose by allowing the
vascular portion to dry out and thereby
not allowing water uptake.
A bit like drinking through a straw
that has been crushed.

With care, a gentle touch, and a very
sharp knife, the thorns can be removed without
damaging the bark. It takes a little
practice, as it is a bit awkward,
but can be mastered relatively easily.

The easiest way to remember how is
to imagine the rose stem is your finger.
Therefore you don't want to hold the
knife edge in a way that it cuts down
into your finger and that you only need
to remove the offensive sharp point.

With a sharp knife this is really easy
to do, and you won't have to push
excessively hard to get the job done.

Proper Rose Cutting

When cutting a Rose stem you expose the fresh
vascular system to air which can
create an air bubble if the stem is
exposed to the air for more than
eight seconds.

When placed in water the air bubble
travels up the stem and
upon reaching the head causes the rose
to wilt prematurely.

Most florists simply use a large
cutter known as a bunch cutter.
A bunch cutter allows one to cut a
whole "bunch" of roses at once.
Draw backs to this method are that
most people often cut the bunch,
lay it down grab another, and so on.
Then they place the flowers in
water which, as we described
earlier, allows air bubbles and
impedes the water uptake.


To extend a rose's vase life, simply
pull the arrangement out, add fresh water
with flower food (mixed as directed), and
recut the stems, placing them back in the
freshened vase of water.

This will remove the clogged lower
portions of the stem, and allow the
roses to drink better, adding life to
your beautiful roses. With these methods,
we experienced customers that told us
of roses lasting two weeks at times.

Another suggestion for keeping roses
longer is to keep them in as cool a place as
possible and away from direct sunlight
and direct heat sources. This will also
greatly add to the vase life of your roses
along with making sure the vase is full of water.

This method can be done every 3 to 4
days which will also help your roses
last better, so you can enjoy their
fresh beauty longer.

Rose Buying Tips

Have you ever wondered what separates
a quality rose from a cheap rose?
Well, let me start by saying we have
been florists for 18 years, and have
learned a thing or two from first hand experience.

First, start with where the rose is grown. We
have found the best quality roses from our
experience have been grown in Ecuador. They
have larger heads, are more fragrant, and have
longer, straighter, and more sturdy stems.

There are so many varieties of roses it
is mind boggling. Generally, the longer
lasting roses are in the red and pink colors.
The shortest vase life in roses, in our
experience has typically been the yellow
and purple varieties.

Further complicating the process, you
can choose between long and short stem
lengths. Over the years the roses have
been sorted by stem length and head size.
The higher quality roses always have a
longer, straighter, stem and a good head size.

How you choose to arrange your roses
or intend to use the roses are what
should determine what to buy,
(i.e. short, long etc.). For instance,
if you are making corsages or a small
vase, short roses work fine. However,
if you wish to show off a little and
go with a dozen roses in a large vase
or something more impressive such as
a funeral spray or a large corporate
arrangement, then of course you will
want to use the longer, nicer ones.

So, just what is a long rose?

Well, let's start with the grades
and sizes. The short roses, or
what I would call a market rose,
(like you see on the corners and
in grocery stores and mass merchandisers)
are usually 40cm long or approximately
15 inches long. These roses generally
don't last as long, and usually aren't
as pretty and shapely as the larger roses
and tend to have lower petal counts.

The more standard size of 50cm, or
about 19 inches are generally a fair
sized rose and more like what you'll
find in a smaller rose arrangement at a
florist or used for corsages. The 50
cm roses are generally a bigger head
with a larger bloom and prettier shape
to them. Now for the higher quality roses,
or what is known as florist quality. These
are 60 - 70 cm or 23 - 27 inches long. This is
what is really considered a long stemmed
rose by florists. Typically this size has
an excellent shaped head and a high petal
count, giving the roses a very firm feel
to them, and the blooms tend to open more
fully. The stems are generally straighter, and
thicker so the rose is fairly sturdy and will
hold up longer in a vase with the proper care.

On occasion, you can find the premium roses
that are 80 cm long or 31 inches or longer.
These are mostly available in the red
varieties. Known for the characteristics
of having very long, straight and really
thick stems (1/4 of an inch or a little better).
Renowned for a superb and shapely head with a
higher petal count, and generally a better
fragrance. Of course, these are going to be
available at a premium price.