83-ROSA DAMASCENA Mill. Gard. Dict. ed.
Local names: Demasc rose, Gulab
Family: Rosaceae
Location: Botanical garden, canteen area
Characters: The Damask rose is a deciduous shrub growing to 2.2 metres (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.
General use: Damask rose is the most important rose grown for its essential oil. On water distillation it yields rose oil and rose water (mostly from the flowers, rarely from the leaves); on solvent extraction it yields rose concrete and rose absolute. Rose oil is commercially the most important product (for cv. group Damascena it is also called rose otto or rose attar) and it is one of the oldest and most valuable perfumer's materials. Because differences in odour exist between rose oils from different origins, in commerce the oil is usually also named by the country of origin, e.g. rose oil Bulgaria. Rose oil is virtually indispensable in perfumery and cosmetics, either as a primary scent or as a modifier. In flavourings it is often used to modify a primary taste and has many applications in sweets, confectionery and tobacco products. The fruit can be processed to make jam or syrup with high vitamin C content. Rose petals can be crystallized with sugar to make a sweetmeat; dried, they are added to drinks as a flavouring, while after extraction with boiling water the residue is used to flavour confectionery and foods, especially in the Middle East and India. Petals are macerated in sesame oil to make a hair-oil in India and Malaysia. Damask rose is an officinal in medicine and is used as a fungicide and insecticide. Preparations of flowers, fruits and roots are said to be astringent. A tonic made by steeping fruit in boiling water for 5 minutes is drunk hot to alleviate the effects of a cold.