For many years, gardeners have tried to breed blue roses, even black unusual flowers have been obtained in the process of research. The solution to this problem was found only at the end of the twentieth century.
History of the issue
At the beginning of the twentieth century, violet roses were bred in Germany, their color was far from saturated blue, moreover, they bloomed very reluctantly and rarely, so that these flowers did not gain popularity. After many years of fruitless attempts by the best flower growers to breed blue roses, they have become a symbol of a pipe dream, becoming synonymous with impossibility.
The flower market had been waiting for blue roses for a very long time, so some growers decided to deal with this problem mechanically and started painting white roses blue.
By the end of the twentieth century, it became possible to study flowers and plants at the genetic level, this made it possible to establish the cause of failures in breeding blue roses. Studies have shown that absolutely all types of roses lack the pigment delphinidin, which is responsible for the blue color.
Work on the isolation of blue genes from pansies began in 1990, it took researchers fourteen years to correctly introduce it into the genes of the rose. The first blue rose was named Suntory Blue Rose Applause after the Japanese company that sponsored the research and development. Since 2008, these roses have been on the free market after the approval of the Committee for the Protection of the Environment.
How to color a rose flower yourself blue?
Since bred blue roses are not easy to find in small flower shops, and they are quite expensive, you can use a simple method that many growers have used back in the middle of the twentieth century. This method is very simple, it takes from twelve hours to a day.
You will need a white rose and ink. It is advisable to first remove all the leaves from the rose, otherwise they will also turn blue, besides, they will slow down the coloring of the bud. Pour about half a glass of clean water at room temperature into a small jar, add ink there. Stir the resulting solution, it should be about a tone darker than the desired rose color. Cut the stem diagonally by an inch to help absorb the water. Place the rose in tinted water for twelve to fifteen hours. The stem should be submerged by about three centimeters. Check regularly how the dyeing process is going as it can absorb too much dye. When the flower is colored, place it in a vase of plain water.
