Romantic Red Roses! Trivia Quiz

Answer: Prickles

The sharp appendages on a rose stem are properly referred to as prickles. They are sharp growths that originate on the outer layer of the stem. Real thorns, such as those found on some citrus trees are actually modified stems. The purpose of the rose prickle is to help the plant hang onto other vegetation when growing around or over it as well as deterring some animals from eating the plant for lunch.

The size and shape of prickles varies widely and is usually dependent upon the surrounding environment.

Answer: Asia

There are over 100 species of rose. The vast majority are native to the Asian continent. There are a few varieties that are native to Europe, northern areas of Africa and North America. They have been grown for centuries in the Mediterranean areas and used for perfume, lawn ornamentation and occasionally for medicinal purposes.

Answer: Rose hips contain more vitamin C than any other fruit or vegetable

Rose hips are also known as rose haw. This fruit of the rose bush is usually red to orange in color but there are black and purple varieties. The edible rose hip has been used for jelly, wine, and herbal tea. They can be eaten raw, and do have the highest vitamin C content of any known fruit or vegetable. Rose hips have been used in homeopathic medicine to treat arthritis, colds, and itchy rashes.

There is more to the romantic rose than meets the eye!

Answer: Germany

St. Mary's Cathedral at Hildesheim, Germany was added as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site in 1985. Built in the 11th century, this beautiful Gothic cathedral is home to the world oldest rose bush. This pink blossomed rose bush was planted over 1,000 years ago.

In 1945, allied bombing destroyed most of the cathedral but somehow the rose plant survived underneath the rubble. The cathedral has been rebuilt and photos of this remarkable rose bush can be found at multiple sites online.

Answer: Cream and pink

The "Diana, Princess of Wales Rose" is a beautiful cream colored rose with pink edges. The colors transition effortlessly and the large blossoms have a lovely, light fragrance. This rose bush grows to about 4-6 ft. (1.2-1.8m) and blooms in late spring and early summer.

Answer: Iceland

Ecuador, Kenya, Colombia, India and Ethiopia are some of the world's biggest exporters of roses in the world. The weather in Iceland is not conducive to growing roses outside all year round. Temperate weather is usually required, and the production of flowers for the floral industry has provided a new option for many of the world's poorest countries to improve their economies.

The biggest consumers of roses are North America, Western Europe, and Japan.

Answer: Drink it

As Rosolio is an Italian liqueur, you would drink it. Rosolio is made from rose petals, alcohol, water and sugar. It is popular in southern parts of Italy and on the Mediterranean island of Sicily. For over 500 years rosolio has been offered to visiting house guests to ensure good luck.

Answer: Yellow

While red roses are a symbol of love, yellow roses are a symbol of friendship and joy. They are also given as a "get well" gift. Yellow roses were not discovered by Europeans until the 18th century, when they were found growing wild in parts of the Middle East. Up until that time, most roses grown were of various shades of pink and cream. Around the same time there was an advance in hybridization and cross-breeding that lead to numerous new types and colors of roses, including yellow. Today, there are roses that are pink, red, white, cream, yellow, lavender as well as those that are a combination of colors.

Answer: Petals

Attar of roses, otherwise known as rose oil, is obtained through steam distillation of crushed rose petal. The unique fragrance of the rose plant has led to it being the most widely used floral oil in the field of perfume making. Bulgaria, which has perfect conditions for growing most varieties of roses produces over 70% of the world's supply of rose oil.

The process of procuring rose oil is labor intensive and to obtain one ounce of oil can take as many as 10,000 flowers.

Answer: True

This is true. The rose is also the national flower of the United Kingdom, Bulgaria, Ecuador and the Czech Republic. The rose is one of the most popular flowers in the world. Its many varieties, wonderful fragrance, easy cultivation and simple beauty have led to its popularity around the world.