Blue roses are an enigma in the flower world- highly coveted, yet seemingly an impossible feat. So, do they actually exist? And, if they do, are you able to grow one yourself?
The answer is not as simple as you would think. Technically, blue roses do exist, but technically, they’re not actually blue.
While you may find yourself thinking of the cerulean and royal blue roses that you can get at the florist, real blue roses are more lilac and purple. Anytime you get a bouquet that’s made up of deep, rich blue hues, they’re most likely dyed, spray-painted or water-tinted that colour.
Here’s everything you need to know about ‘blue’ roses, and our favourite choices for you to try and grow yourself:
Are any roses naturally blue?
No roses can naturally grow blue. However, there are ‘blue’ rose varieties that fall between the lilac and violet range. These will either have a blueish tinge to them, or their colour fades into a blue tone when finishing their blooming period.
Roses that you can buy that are bright blue, from sky blue to navy, are dyed, tinted or sprayed that colour.
How to make your own blue roses
If you really want that bright blue colour on your rose bouquet without paying for the extra cost, you can do your own dyeing and tinting at home. The easiest way to create blue roses is by using food colour and water:
- Take a white rose and split the stem lengthways about 1-2cm high.
- Use food colouring to dye your vase water the shade you would like.
- Place the rose in the vase and wait for the magic to happen.
You can also do this with other colours, and create different types of rose colourings such as rainbow, fluoro or even a tie-dye petal colouring. It took this TikToker only 24 hours before the blue appeared on all of the petals!
What do blue roses signify?
Blue roses can signify many things, but they are most often associated with mystery and longing for impossible outcomes. In a romantic setting, this could mean a yearning for someone or unrequited love.
The best blue roses to plant in your garden
Although naturally grown blue roses are more purple than blue, they’re still absolutely beautiful. Plus, they’re much more unique than the common rose colours of yellow, pink and white.
Here are three of our favourite choices:
‘Rhapsody in Blue’ Rose
These brightly coloured purple flowers will fade into a slate blue as they finish off their blooming period. With a sweet scent, the ‘Rhapsody in Blue’ rose can often produce semi-double flowers.
‘Blue Moon’ Rose
One of the more popular hybrids of the ‘blue roses’, the ‘Blue Moon’ is a light lilac with a blueish hue. They have a strong fragrance and sit on long, slender stems.
‘Veilchenblau’ Rose
Meaning ‘violet blue’ in German, a ‘Veilchenblau’ rose is a variety that produces masses of smaller purple, lilac and pink blossoms. This type is a climber or rambler, and works well against a trellis.
