Rosa damascena Trigintipetala - Damask Rose

The old damask rose Trigintipetala , also known as Rosa Kazanlik or Kazanlak, is a bush rose imported from Turkey to Bulgaria, where it is still cultivated for the richness of its rose essential oil. The habit is upright but flexible, the plant is robust and healthy, adorned with deciduous, light green foliage. This Damask rose offers a powerfully scented summer flowering, which reminds some noses of the fragrance of synthetic perfumes. Its semi-double tender pink flowers bloom abundantly in June-July. In the garden, this vigorous rose will integrate perfectly into a free hedge.

The Damask rose is a botanic species of unknown origin, brought to Germany in 1889 by Dr. De Kriek. Some traces of this variety can be found as early as 1689. It is extensively cultivated in the mountainous valley of Kazanlăk, Bulgaria, which nowadays makes up the main production region.

This bush with a rather upright bushy habit reaches approximately 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) in height and 1.50 m (4 ft 11 in) in width, and shows rapid growth. Its mostly mossy branches bear deciduous foliage, divided into light green leaflets, and are remarkably healthy. It blooms abundantly in June-July, with slightly loose flowers, of medium size reaching 6-7 cm (2.4 - 2.8 in) in diameter. Each one is composed of 30 petals of a diaphanous pink. At the opening, the centre of the corolla presents a small bud composed of small folded petals. At full bloom, the well-opened corolla reveals a beautiful heart of golden yellow stamens. These roses have a strong and pleasant fragrance made up of over 400 different components. The scent remains even after the flowers have dried or faded. To grow to their full potential, this type of rose requires ample space.

The perfume industry was transformed after the study of the chemical compounds found in the 'Trigintipetala' rose. These compounds produce different scents, allowing perfumers to create unique fragrances. One popular example is 'Poison' by Dior, released in 1985, which contains damascenone - a highly potent olfactory compound. 

Although hybrid roses have become more popular, botanical roses are still hardy plants with a rich history. Roses like the Kazanlik have earned a place in gardens as collector's items. They are perfect for lovers of ancient and botanical roses, as well as for fragrant gardens and flowering hedges. They can be used to create stunning summer-blooming shrub borders and landscape hedges, and when mixed with buddleias, white spireas, abelias, or deutzias, they add to the garden's vitality. To plant them, it's essential to maintain a distance of 1 metre between each bush. If you have enough space, English, Old or Shrub roses look lovely planted in groups of three. They will grow together to form a lavish bush, blooming generously.