Family : Rosaceae
Class : Wild Rose
Text and pictures © Giuseppe Mazza
English translation by Peter Thompson
Known also as Rose de Provins, Rose of the Chemist, Rossa Damasco or simply Officinalis, the Rosa gallica officinalis is a variety utilized, since the olden days, for its medicinal virtues.
With buds and petals rich in tonic, digestive and astringent properties, they provide remedies for skin rash, sore throat, stomatitis, or venous deficiency.
It is the famous “red rose” of Lancaster, and the rose which was responsible for the commercial fortune of the city of Provins. Moreover, it marks an important chapter in the history of the rose, for along with the Rosa canina , it gave origin to the first cultivated European varieties.
→ History of the rose : from the Wild Roses towards a perfect rose.
→ To appreciate the biodiversity of roses, please click here.