Damask rose

Damask rose: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Sturdy, loose shrub about 1.5 m tall and 1.2 m wide with arching stems covered in prickles.

Leaves

Grey-green and softly downy, pinnate with 5–7 leaflets.

Flowers

Double, fragrant blooms of about 6–8 cm in shades of pink, in clusters, from June to July.

Scent

Rich and sweet: the classic rose fragrance used for rose water and rose oil.

Kitchen

The petals are edible and give a delicate rose flavour to syrups, jellies and baking.

Flowering: June–July · Harvest and fruit: June–July · Plants: March–April and October–November · Pruning: March and July

Why grow it?

• Very fragrant double pink flowers, lovely in the border and as a cut flower.
• The petals are edible: they can be used for rose water, syrup, jelly or decoration (from unsprayed roses only).
• A classic old rose for a cottage garden or herb garden.
• Attracts bees, although heavily double flowers give less pollen than single roses.
• Hardy to about −25 °C and undemanding in a sunny spot.

Damask rose: where does it grow best?

• Full sun, at least 6 hours a day. In shade it flowers poorly and gets more diseases.
• Humus-rich, well-drained soil: loam, sand or clay that is not too wet, acid to chalky (pH 6–7.5).
• Normally moist: not too wet and not drying out.
• An open, airy spot, because moving air limits mildew.
• Allow 1–1.2 m per plant and do not plant where roses have stood for years (rose sickness).

Light

Sun

Soil type

Sand, loam or clay

Acidity

Not fussy

Moisture

Normal

Size

1.5 m tall, 1.2 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -25 °C)

Goes well with

• Lavender: A sunny, fragrant partner that complements the rose nicely and also attracts bees.
• Hardy geranium: A low, flowering plant that covers the bare base of the rose.
• Catmint: Lavender-blue flowers that last long and attract bees.
• Sage: Purple flower spikes in summer in a sunny border, fitting for a herb garden.

Damask rose: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–April and October–November.

1. Plant in March–April or in October–November, on frost-free days and in soil that is not too wet.
2. Soak a bare-root rose in water for a few hours before planting.
3. Dig a hole 40–50 cm wide and deep and mix in compost, not fresh manure.
4. Set the plant so that the graft union (the swelling at the base of the stems) lies about 3–5 cm below the soil surface.
5. Fill in, firm well and give a generous watering.
6. Cut away damaged roots, shorten over-long stems lightly and spread a layer of compost or bark around the base.

Care

Water

In dry spells give a good can of water weekly at the base, preferably in the morning and without wetting the leaves.

Feeding

In March give compost or an organic rose feed. Not after July, so the wood can ripen. For edible petals use organic feeds only.

Mulching

A layer of compost or bark about 5 cm thick in spring keeps the soil moist and suppresses weeds.

Harvesting

Pick the flowers in the morning, after the dew has dried, at full bloom. Remove the white, bitter heel at the base of each petal and shake out any insects.

Support

The arching stems can be tied to a support or ring.

Tip: Pick the flowers for rose water or syrup on a dry morning, soon after the dew has dried, when the scent is strongest. Use unsprayed flowers only.

Damask rose: when to prune it?

Pruning months: March and July.

When: Prune lightly straight after flowering, in July, and thin out old stems in March.

How:

• After flowering: cut the faded shoots back lightly, by about a third, and remove dead or weak stems.
• In March: every few years remove a few of the oldest stems at the base.
• Shorten last year’s side shoots to 2–4 buds; the flowers are borne on these side shoots.
• Leave young, vigorous shoots: they take over from the old stems.

Caution: Do not prune too hard in spring: the flowers are borne on last year’s side shoots, so severe pruning costs you blooms.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Hardwood cuttings

In October–November take cuttings of 20–25 cm from ripened shoots, remove the lower buds and push them two-thirds into the ground in a sheltered spot. Success varies and it takes a year.

Suckers

On its own roots it may form suckers. Cut them off with roots in autumn or early spring and replant them elsewhere.

Damask rose: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −25 °C.

• Hardy to about −25 °C: in Belgium usually without protection.
• For grafted plants: in November mound 15–20 cm of garden soil or compost over the base and remove it after severe frost.
• Clear away fallen leaves, because disease spores overwinter in them.
• In a pot: stand it against a sheltered wall and wrap the pot in hessian.

Diseases and pests

• Powdery mildew: White powder on the leaves and buds, especially in dry soil and a stuffy spot. Provide sun, air and water at the base, and cut away affected shoots.
• Black spot: Black spots with fringed edges and leaf fall from summer. Do not water over the leaves, clear up affected leaves and leave space between plants.
• Rust: Orange, powdery pustules under the leaves. Remove affected leaves and do not overfeed with nitrogen.
• Aphids: On young shoots and buds in May–June. Rinse them off with water or let ladybirds do the work. Do not use any products if you want to eat the petals.

Through the year

• March: Plant. Thin out old stems and shorten side shoots. Give compost.
• April: Plant. Spread mulch. Watch for aphids.
• May: The buds form. Water in dry weather. Watch for mildew.
• June: Flowering begins. Pick flowers for rose water or syrup.
• July: Flowering. Prune lightly after flowering.
• August: Water in dry weather. Clear up diseased leaves.
• September: Clear up fallen leaves.
• October: Plant. Take hardwood cuttings.
• November: Plant. Mound up the base in severe frost.
• December: Rest.

Edible and useful

Flowers (June–July)

Pick the flowers in June and July on a dry morning, when they have just opened fully and smell strongest. Pull off the petals and snip off the white base, which is bitter. The damask rose (like the apothecary’s rose and the cabbage rose) is the classic rosewater rose: for rose petal jelly, syrup, rose sugar, rosewater and in baking.

Storing

Dry the petals in a thin layer on paper somewhere airy and dark and keep them in a closed jar for up to a year. Use fresh petals the same day.

Caution: Only use roses that have not been sprayed: florists’ roses, and often garden-centre ones too, are treated. Let new plants grow for a season first. People allergic to roses or with hay fever may react to the pollen: use only the petals.

Eating and using is at your own risk: see the terms of use.

Recipes

• Rose petal syrup (Syrup · ± 500 ml · 20 min + overnight steeping)
• Rose petal jelly (Jelly · ± 3 small jars · 30 min + 1 hr steeping)
• Rosewater for the skin (Skin and body care · ± 250 ml · 30 min)

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Did you know?

• Around Kazanlak in Bulgaria lies the ‘Valley of the Roses’, where the Damask rose is grown on a large scale for rose oil.
• Several thousand kilos of petals are needed to make one kilo of rose oil.
• There is also a repeat-flowering form, ‘Quatre Saisons’, that can give a second flush.