The red rose (玫瑰花) enjoys unrivaled stature in the west as a flower of romance, love and affection.
But in China, rose flowers play second fiddle to other more prominent flowers of stature such as the peony and lily.
It is generally not considered as a feng shui flower.
And a lot of that reason comes down to the thorns that the rose plant possess.
Anything that’s naturally sharp is not greeted with adulation in oriental culture.
In fact, when roses are mentioned in Chinese literature, it usually refers to the Chinese rose (or China rose) which has the scientific name of rosa chinensis.
They have an ability to bloom at any time of the year, with pastel colored flowers that are pleasing to the eye.
They symbolize youth and beauty. No relation to love there.
And because of the presence of thorns, most people would associate it more to the rebellious side of youth and beauty.
As such they are seldom recommended as feng shui display items.
Nevertheless, they are celebrated by various Chinese cities publicly.
Symbolism of roses
When displayed with the herb of immortality, it symbolizes longevity and prolonged beauty.
When displayed in a vase, it represents all 4 seasons.
When depicted with arabesques on a bottle gourd, it represents the wish for one to enjoy spring for ten thousands years. A metaphor for a long legacy.
Red and pink roses can be used as wedding decorations.
White roses signify purity.
Yellow roses are meant to bring hope.
Peach roses are connected to stability.
Black roses can be a reference to pubic hair. No kidding.
If you must have them at home because you feel a lot of affinity with them, it’s best to leave them outdoors in the garden or yard.
If you are to bring them indoors, maybe in a clear vase as display on the dining table, remember to trim off the thorns.
At funerals, the color of roses can take on a different meaning. Red means love, pink represents appreciation, and yellow is linked to friendship.
