Herb of the Week: Red Rose Buds & Petals (Rosa damascena)
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There’s something about roses that stops me in my tracks. Their beauty is obvious, but their medicine runs deeper. Working with red rose buds and petals has always reminded me to soften into my heart, to hold tenderness alongside strength. This week, I chose rose as our first Herb of the Week because it embodies that balance - beauty with thorns, softness with power.
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Latin Names: Rosa damascena, Rosa gallica, Rosa centifolia (many species carry medicine)
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Family: Rosaceae
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Common Names: Rose, Red Rose, Apothecary’s Rose
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Parts Used: Petals, buds, hips (fruits)
Energetics & Herbal Actions
Roses carry a cooling, moistening quality that soothes inflammation, irritation, and emotional agitation. Their gentle constricting nature (astringent) helps tone tissues and calm excess heat in the body.
Herbal Actions:
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Nervine (calms the nervous system)
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Mild antidepressant (lifts the mood)
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Astringent (tightens tissues)
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Anti-inflammatory (reduces irritation and redness)
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Cardiotonic (supports the heart physically and energetically)
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Aphrodisiac (opens sensuality and intimacy)
Therapeutic Uses
Emotional & Spiritual Support
Rose has long been considered a heart medicine. It’s used to ease grief, heartbreak, and feelings of isolation. Spiritually, roses are offerings of love and devotion — whether to the Divine, ancestors, or oneself.
Physical Benefits
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Skin: Rose water and infused oils reduce redness, acne, and inflammation.
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Digestion: The petals’ mild astringency helps with diarrhea, sore throats, and gut irritation.
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Women’s Health: Traditionally used in teas for menstrual discomfort and as a gentle uterine tonic.
Modern Research Highlights
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A clinical trial found rose aromatherapy reduced anxiety in hemodialysis patients, showing its calming effect on the nervous system (PMC Study)
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Rose extracts show antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects on the skin (Phytotherapy Review).
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Studies also confirm antimicrobial and analgesic properties, supporting its use in traditional topical and internal remedies (Tandfonline PDF)
Contraindications & Safety
Roses are generally regarded as safe, but safety is always worth noting:
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Rare allergic reactions can occur (especially with topical use) — patch test first.
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Avoid ingesting concentrated essential oil; use diluted or in hydrosol form only.
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During pregnancy or breastfeeding, rose tea is generally safe in culinary amounts, but stronger preparations should be used with caution.
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Be mindful of adulteration in commercial essential oils — source from ethical, reputable suppliers.
Folklore & History
Roses have enchanted humans for millennia.
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In ancient Greece, roses were sacred to Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty.
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In Sufi tradition, the rose represents the soul’s journey toward divine love, its thorns symbolizing the hardships along the way.
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Medieval herbalists called it the “Queen of Flowers” and used syrups of rose petals for melancholy, broken hearts, and digestive upset.
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In countless traditions, roses are used in weddings, funerals, and sacred rituals as offerings of love and remembrance.
Practical Ways to Work with Rose
There are endless ways to invite rose into your daily life. A few simple ones include:
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Tea: Steep dried petals (1–2 tsp per cup) for a calming, heart-soothing infusion.
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Bath: Sprinkle petals into warm water for a ritual of self-love.
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Infused Oil: Cover petals with jojoba or almond oil, let infuse, and use as a skin elixir.
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Altar Offering: Place fresh or dried petals in sacred space to honor ancestors or invite love.
✨ My personal favorite: sipping rose tea with a little honey at night, it feels like drinking liquid softness, a medicine for both body and soul.
Rose teaches us that beauty and resilience can coexist. The petals remind us to soften, while the thorns remind us of boundaries. To work with rose is to remember that tenderness is not weakness — it is strength.