Tuesday, February 05, 2008

Blue Roses

Blue Roses signify mystery and attaining the impossible. That's because they don't exist.
If that special someone gives you Blue Roses this Valentine's Day, know that you are loved.* And, that you're dating somebody with a whole lotta money!

Delphinidin is a plant pigment (Delphinium, get it?) that produces true blue flowers. Roses don't come by this pigment naturally, so Blue Roses are usually sad white roses that have been poisoned with blue dye.

Where would we be without clever scientists messing with the natural order of things?**

Achieving true blue in roses (and black in many other flowers) is kind of like the Holy Grail of Botany. Which is probably why people are now creating Blue Roses by cloning petunias and roses to reach a true blue.

I'm not sure why they're going to all this trouble. There's a good reason why red roses are most popular on 2/14. Red roses symbolize passionate love...

* If you get any kind of flowers this Valentine's Day you should know that you are loved. If he gives you one of those lame-ass Hallmark Teddy Bears? Know that you are dating an idiot.

** Without clever scientists we'd never met Snuppy, that's for sure. (Next up? Bad Dog!)

2 comments:

Iron Needles said...

Certainly striking looking rose, but most unnatural looking, I think. Sort of like the quest for a truly red iris.

Waiting anxiously for the snow to melt....

kate said...

Ha, that is a good one. Sappy Hallmark teddy bear= idiot. Blue roses = poisoned plants. I wonder what blue roses will eventually come to mean?