Post Series: Medicinal Flowers
When we think of medicinal plants, it’s often the roots, leaves, or bark that come to mind—yet around the world, flowers have long been used for their healing properties. This series explores some of the most powerful and time-honored blooms used in traditional and modern herbal medicine… as diverse as they are beautiful.
The crowned beauty of all medicinal flowers: the rose genus (Rosa) includes over a hundred species of flowering plants renowned not only for their beauty and fragrance but also for their deep symbolism of love, beauty, and healing across nearly every culture.
Universally associated with the heart—both emotionally and physically—roses have long represented affection, purity, and wellness.
Beyond their symbolic meaning, roses hold an important place in traditional medicine systems around the world. Rose petals, hips, and essential oil have been used in Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Persian healing traditions, and European herbalism to support heart health, soothe the skin, calm the mind, ease digestion, and relieve grief and tension, making the rose a true botanical bridge between emotional and physical well-being.
· Origin: Temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere.
· Traditional Use: Used for skin care, as heart tonic, and for emotional wellness.
Rose extracts exhibit antioxidant, antimicrobial, and mood-lifting properties.
· Sample Reference: Genus Rosas : A Review of Ethnobotany, Phytochemistry and Traditional Aspects According to Islamic Traditional Medicine (ITM). Ayati Z, Ramezani M, Amiri MS, Sahebkar A, Emami SA. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2021;1308:353-401.
*This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of such advice or treatment from a personal physician.