Pakistan Gardening Forum

ASA,

What is the name of our red, highly fragrant, desi gulab?

1) Rosa indica
2) Rosa damascana
3) Rosa moschata

None of the above seem to match our gulab? If anyone has desi pictures, please post it here as well (for Flora database).

Regards,

Farooq

rosa damascena

suffi wrote:rosa damascena

Why do most google images show Rosa damascena of pink colour rather than red?

There are two desi roses: one is the common red, and the other the wild pink which is used as the common rootstock (highly fragrant). The red one, is not damascena, but infact a descendant if it- you can call it a damask rose.

dragoonsers wrote:There are two desi roses: one is the common red, and the other the wild pink which is used as the common rootstock (highly fragrant). The red one, is not damascena, but infact a descendant if it- you can call it a damask rose.

I agree that the pink one is very fragrant (we used to have a bush of this pink rose, and I still cannot forget the fragrance) than the common desi red gulab. I think that the pink one is also used for making rose water. But still, is our red desi gulab Rosa damascena, I mean in terms of scientific nomenclature or it is different Rosa ____ ? I am confused by the web searches, because Indian websites have different names. I am just curious because I wanted to create an entry for desi gulab in Flora database. The absence of desi gulab from the list of >130 plant entries looks bad :-(

Farooq bhai
The red fragrant desi gulab that you are talking about is not a local variety though it is with us since around 100 years or a more. It is a hybrid tea rose which was bred by Rudolf Geschwind in Austria somewhere in mid 19th century. It's name is Gruss an Teplitz.

It liked soil and climate of sub-continent so much that it became a native rose. The bloom shade may vary from crimson to darkish pink owing to type of soil and presence of elements like phosphorus, potassium, aluminum etc in varying proportions.

The pink cup shaped highly fragrant rose that is commonly used for root stock is Rosa centifolia.

regards

Thank you Umar sb and KBW sb. I was under the incorrect impression that our so-called desi gulab is truly a native rose. So do we have a native rose at all or not?

The wild roses that I have seen in Pakistani northern areas (Rosa indica?) and Canada are five petalled flowers (Rosa acicularis. The flowers are light pink with a primitive look. They are not fragrant and of course not very attractive either.

KWB, could you please make two entries for the following in the rose database? The database is certainly missing these two.

1) (pseudo-) desi gulab .

2) The local pink gulab which is used in making rose water.

I am sure it will be helpful to others as well.

Regards,

Farooq

A mention of wild roses was made in the preceding discussion. Here are then pictures of a wild rose I found on the famous Pipeland (Walking)Track Dunga Gali-Ayubia,Murree Hills: