Roses

Rosa is an woody perennial plant genus with over three hundred species and tens of thousands cultivars. Rose plants are shrubs, climbing or trailing with showy fragrant flowers in a wide array of colours resulting from the ease of hybridization of the species. Hybrids, cultivars, species and garden roses are all edible and offer a range of fragrance strength with various notes. Besides cultivation as ornamental landscaping plants, roses are planted for hedging, game cover planting, utilitarian slope stabilization and soil erosion prevention. Roses are important commercial crops for cut flowers and essential oil for perfume. Rose hips, with a high content of vitamin C, are consumed in various ways and made into syrup along with the petals. Roses attract and support birds and bees.