Rose damascena, more commonly known as the Damask rose, or sometimes as the Rose of Castile, is a rose hybrid, Further DNA analysis has shown that a third species.
The flowers are renowned for their fine fragrance, and are commercially harvested for rose oil (rose absolute) used in perfumery and to make rose water and "rose concrete". The flower petals are also edible. They may be used to flavor food, as a garnish, as a tisane, and preserved in sugar as gulkand.
The Damask rose is a deciduous shrub growing to 2.2 meters (7 ft 3 in) tall, the stems densely armed with stout, curved prickles and stiff bristles. The leaves are pinnate, with five (rarely seven) leaflets. The roses are a light to moderate pink to light red. The relatively small flowers grow in groups. The bush has an informal shape. It is considered an important type of Old Rose, and also important for its prominent place in the pedigree of many other types.
Rose Damask is a cultivated flower, no longer found growing wild, and the history of just where it came from is varied, but generally understood as coming from the Middle East.
It is considered an important type of Old Rose, also, for its prominent place in the pedigree of many other types. Damask roses are renowned for their fine fragrance, and their flowers are commercially harvested for rose oil used in perfumery.
Benefit & Uses: Damascus roses are used in cooking as a flavoring ingredient or spice. It appears as one of the ingredients in the Moroccan spice mixture known as ras el hanout. Rose water and powdered roses are used in Persian, Indian, and Middle Eastern cooking. Rose water is often sprinkled on many meat dishes, while rose powder is added to sauces. The most popular use, however, is in the flavoring of desserts such as ice cream, jam, Turkish delights, rice pudding, yogurt and etc. Chicken with rose is a popular dish in Persian cuisine. Western cookery today does not make much use of roses or rose water. However, it was a popular ingredient in ancient times and continued to be popular well into the Renaissance. In the west, it was most commonly used in desserts.
Rose Damask Absolute is very common oil in the perfume and aromatic industry. Aroma therapists also credit it with being an exotic aphrodisiac, an emollient in skin care products, and a balance of the spirit.
Damask rose (Rosa damascena) has been considered a symbol of beauty and love. The fragrance of the rose has been captured and preserved in the form of rose water by an ancient method that can be traced back to biblical times in the Middle East, and later to the Indian subcontinent. An Iranian doctor, Avicenna, is credited with the discovery of the process or extracting rose water from rose petals in the early 11th century. Damascus roses were introduced into England during the reign of Henry VIII and were frequently displayed and scattered at weddings and festivals. Nowadays, they are popular in craft projects and as potpourri ingredients. They are used in wedding favors, gathered together in organza bags or favor boxes, and they replace the traditional. They are also used to decorate festive tables and as hair decorations when attached to hairpins.
The uses of the dried Damascus rose in beauty products are numerous. Soaking Damask rosebuds in water for three or four days releases a rose essence which can be added to bath water or may be used to rinse hair after shampooing to leave the skin and hair soft with the fragrance of roses. As the gentlest of all astringents, rose water is often used as toner for fair and dry skin or as an anti-aging product in facial creams. Damascus rose oil also has therapeutic properties that sooth the mind and helps with depression, nervous tension and stress.