Last Updated on February 28, 2022 by Cristina
Italian roses have a hidden charm that captivates your senses and makes you think you’ve never smelled a real rose before. Italy is the fifth largest flower exporter in the world, and for a reason. Italians gift flowers when they want to send a coded message of respect, love, and even jealousy.
Over 27,000 companies located in Tuscany and Liguria work on producing roses, lilies, and many other typical Italian flowers. Every Italian house has either a balcony or a garden full of flowers. Competitive gardening is a national sport in the Italian provinces.
These enchanting flowers can be part of your garden too! But first, let’s dive into the mesmerizing petals of the Italian roses.
The National Flower Of Italy
Although Italian roses are among the most frequently bought and gifted cut flowers, the lily is their national flower. Roses are the traditional flower that symbolizes Italy. In addition, white lilies are used in correlation with the Virgin Mary in catholicism which is a great part of the Italian culture.
Do you know what is rose called in Italy? It’s equally romantic as the flower itself: La rosa.
On the other hand, Sicilia has the frangipane as its most popular flower. In Tuscany, you’ll find the Tuscan poppies covering the countryside.
As we go near the French border in the San Remo and Liguria region, the number of flowers grows exponentially. Here you can find the Italian roses, begonias, oleanders, hibiscus bushes, and more.
Italian Roses Names And Types
There are over 3,000 rose species belonging to several genera. We’ll dive into the most popular and jaw-dropping Italian roses.
Alba Genus
Roses belonging to the Alba genus are the oldest roses still cultivated in Italy. They’re tall roses with fragrant blossoms and long stems. You can identify them under the name of Maiden’s Blush, Félicité Parmantier, Celestial, and Queen of Denmark. They’re all light pink in the center and transitioning cream on the outer petals.
Bourbon Genus
Roses belonging to the Bourbon genus are colorful but smaller in size. They grow in bushes and can produce more bloom than other roses. Some marvelous examples of this genus are Queen Victoria, the Bourbon Queen, and the Variegata of Bologna. The last one is a white rose with pink stripes guaranteed to fascinate you.
Centifolia Genus
The centifolia or cabbage roses feature 100 petals and are much more delicate than the other roses. They have skinnier, thorny stems but very fragrant flowers. This is a worldly popular rose that experienced gardeners reach for.
Bush Roses
The common bush roses grow in shrubs with smaller but numerous flowers and rich foliage. They’re not suitable for growing indoors in pots. The fascinating red rose Danse du Feu is part of this group. But so are the Pink Perpetua and Nevada rose. The last one is a white 5 petal rose with a wide-open flower.
How To Grow Italian Roses
Italians enjoy the image of the most romantic Mediterranean people. So naturally, we expect them to grow the best roses. But what do roses symbolize in Italy? Italians gift red roses to their love interests, take white ones to churches, and gift yellow ones to people they’re not fond of.
The most cultivated type of Italian rose outside the country is the Oso Easy Italian Ice rose. Unlike the classic rose, these are a bushy type with smaller blooms. However, each bloom has over 20 multicolored petals, predominantly in yellow and pink. They tolerate USDA Hardiness Zones 4 to 9 and grow up to 36 inches tall.
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Italian roses are the perfect choice for spacious gardens with full sun or landscapes in need of a colorful bush. Beware when planting as they spread 20 to 30 inches. They’re easy to grow, produce rich bloom and deep green foliage. You can enjoy the Italian roses in your garden from early to late summer.
Are there roses in Italy you can grow in pots? If you have a spot in your garden that receives ample amounts of sun per day and a spacious container, you can have potted roses.
However, if you want to keep the pots inside, pick a miniature kind. They tend to spread in each direction, so it’s harder to find them a good spot in the house.
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More Breathtaking Italian Flowers
- Lily; The country’s official flower can grow up to 6feet tall and comes in several colors. They’re low-maintenance flowers and easy to grow potted.
- Chrysanthemums; Hardy and perfect to grow, but not to gift, as they’re connected to the day of the death in Italy. They come in vibrant colors and dark green foliage.
- Peonies; These summer flowers are the typical choice of brides in Italy, maybe because they’re in season the whole summer. You can spot them in gardens and flower shops all over the country but never potted inside.
- Mimosa; The yellow puffed buds are a symbol of feminism in Italy. Mimosa bouquets are traditionally gifted to the ladies on International Women’s Day.
Bottom Line: The Meaning Of Italian Roses
Italian gardeners managed to preserve and still plant one of the oldest Italian roses. This nation is not so big on gifting flowers as they are on growing their own.
If you want to bring some Mediterranean charm to your garden, get your hands on some of the types we mentioned above. Roses are hardy flowers and blend nicely in any landscape. They require occasional pruning and fertilizing, but return the favor with mesmerizing and fragrant blooms.
FAQ’s
What do roses symbolize in Italy?
Red roses symbolize love and passion, yellow roses mean purity and holiness while yellow roses stand for envy. Blue roses are treated as enigmatic and masculine.
Are there roses in Italy?
Italy is home to over 1,000 species of roses, many of them commercially grown and exported. They're ranked as the 5th biggest flower producer and exporter globally.
What is rose called in Italy?
Rose is Rosa in Italian, or la Rosa. It can also be used as a woman's name.
Mary is a passionate gardener who loves spending her days getting her hands dirty and nurturing her plants. She‘s an avid reader of gardening magazines and is always looking for new ways to make her garden thrive. When not outside tending to her plants, Mary can be found inside reading up on the latest gardening trends, comparing notes with fellow gardeners, and finding the perfect pottery planter for her next planting project.
