The first domestic cultivation of roses was probably in China. The Romans loved roses too – they used them as confetti at weddings for medicine and perfume and grew enormous public rose gardens.

Roses surprisingly are in the same family as pears apples cherries apricots and almonds — they even have small red fruit called rose hips from which their petals grow. Today although most species are native to Asia they are grown in most places worldwide. In the US thousands of acres of roses are grown each year — 60% of them in California — and millions are sold every year especially on Mother’s Day. 

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