A Rose by Any Other Name
From WikiName
What do Bob Hope, Freddie Mercury, Queen Elizabeth, and Betty Boop all have in common?
They all have had roses named after them.
And they’re not the only ones. Don’t forget Reba McEntire, Christian Dior, and even Pele!
Of course, not all roses are named after people. You can also cultivate Sexy Lexy, Iceberg, or some French Lace.
Roses have also been named after places. Conceivably, you can visit Atlantic City, the City of Belfast, and the Windy City – all in your backyard.
Roses certainly have diverse and interesting names. But how do roses get their names?
First, many modern roses actually have two names – the first is the common name (which is addressed here), and the second name is an international code for that rose.
Before 1950, roses were commonly named after British royalty. After 1950, rose names began to branch out - they started to be named after places (Cancun), events (Memorial Day, Mardi Gras), celebrities (Julia Child), leaders (Ronald Reagan), or notable people – both real (Pope John Paul II) and fictional (Ophelia and Santa Claus). But eventually, it was decided that average folk could also name a rose - assuming that, as with lots of things in life, they pay for it. This needs to be explained in more detail.
Long before you choose a name for a rose, you need to locate a specific rose breeder, or a commercial rose farm operation. Some rose cultivators are interested not only in breeding existing rose varieties but also in experimenting to create new types of roses. These new roses may have different fragrances, colors, heights, widths, classifications, and other parameters. The process to research, develop, and finally introduce a new breed of rose can take anywhere between 2 - 7 years, and even up to 10 years. But once a new rose breed has been created, you need to request and pay for the right to name this rose, assuming that the breeder wishes to sell this right. While the prices vary, some say that the cost to purchase this naming can be as high as $30,000.[1]
In addition, the rose breeder may also handle the paperwork. Paperwork? That’s right – the name for your rose must be unique for its genus and must be able to be bred. For example, you can have two roses named “Summer Dream”, with a valid patent for each name, as long as they are of different genera. All roses must be registered in the International Cultivar Registration Authority - Roses database.[1] Of course, that is no guarantee that your rose will sell well in the marketplace.
With rose names, there are some general guidelines for selecting a name. For example, it is generally accepted that names will not contain profanity. Sorry folks. Also, you cannot use the name of another plant in your rose name.[1] So scratch “Cactus Rose” from your list. While you can name a rose after a living person, you must present a letter of authorization from that person.
As it is possible that a new rose breed can become a commercial success, some businesses want to commemorate their products with a rose. So, if you really don’t want to plant Queen Elizabeth in your garden, you can instead plant Playboy or Playgirl, Cadillac DeVille or Chrysler Imperial.
While there are other, more affordable, and less time-consuming ways to name a rose, the work behind it remains similar. Regardless, both the rose and their names can be interesting and unique.
NOTES
Author: Noelle Y. Lee
