Flower news
Shows and festivalsNow's The Time To Grab That Bag Of Winterizer - WJBO Lawn & Garden ShowDiscoveriesUW-River Falls professor discovers new orchid species in PalauIn bloomSeeds for spring blooms are available for freeFloristryThis Family-Owned Florida Florist Is Celebrating 50 Years—Here’s The Secret To Their Blooming SuccessGardensFalling glass and ‘decapitated’ plants: the race to protect Edinburgh botanic garden’s plantsGardensHow to create a vibrant cutting gardenIn bloomColorful wildflowers bloom across Chile's Atacama DesertIn bloomColorful wildflowers bloom across Chile's Atacama Desert in wake of 'super' El NiñoFloristryHoltschlag Florist and Frericks Gardens mergeGardensNew York Botanical Garden event explores how crop diversity could shape the future of foodShows and festivalsNow's The Time To Grab That Bag Of Winterizer - WJBO Lawn & Garden ShowDiscoveriesUW-River Falls professor discovers new orchid species in PalauIn bloomSeeds for spring blooms are available for freeFloristryThis Family-Owned Florida Florist Is Celebrating 50 Years—Here’s The Secret To Their Blooming SuccessGardensFalling glass and ‘decapitated’ plants: the race to protect Edinburgh botanic garden’s plantsGardensHow to create a vibrant cutting gardenIn bloomColorful wildflowers bloom across Chile's Atacama DesertIn bloomColorful wildflowers bloom across Chile's Atacama Desert in wake of 'super' El NiñoFloristryHoltschlag Florist and Frericks Gardens mergeGardensNew York Botanical Garden event explores how crop diversity could shape the future of food
Phool
Species : Rosa damascena Family : Rosaceae Cultivar : Rose de Resht Image No. 6

Damask rose

Rosa × damascena, family Rosaceae

A fragrant pink rose grown for oil, water, and sweets in West and South Asia

Photo: Kurt Stüber [1], CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Damask rose is a shrub rose with pink blooms, valued for its scent and used to make rose oil and rose water. It is grown mainly in Iran, Bulgaria, Turkey, and India, and its petals are used in food and perfume. The rose is also linked to festivals and local traditions in these regions.

Share on WhatsApp

  • Damask rose petals are used to make rose oil and rose water.
  • Bulgaria, Iran, and Turkey are leading producers of rose oil.
  • The rose is celebrated each June in Bulgaria’s Valley of Roses.
  • Its petals are edible and used in sweets and teas.
  • The Damask rose’s scent is highly valued in perfumery.

What does Damask rose look like?

The Damask rose is a shrub that can reach over two metres in height, with arching branches covered in hooked thorns and bristles. Its leaves are divided into five or sometimes seven leaflets. The flowers are small to medium-sized, appearing in loose clusters, and range in colour from soft pink to light red. The blooms are known for their intense, sweet scent and are often gathered early in the morning when their fragrance is strongest.

Where does Damask rose come from?

This rose is not found growing wild, but was created by crossing several species, including Rosa gallica, Rosa moschata, and Rosa fedtschenkoana. Its beginnings are traced to central Asia or Iran. The name 'Damask' comes from Damascus, reflecting the city’s historic connection to the flower. Stories differ on how it reached Europe, with some crediting a Crusader in the 12th century and others mentioning Roman or Tudor introductions. Today, it is grown widely in parts of the Middle East, South Asia, and Europe.

When and how Damask rose blooms

Damask roses are usually planted in hedges or rows to protect their delicate blooms from wind and to make picking easier. In Bulgaria, long hedgerows are common, while Turkish growers often space plants along trenches. Harvesting is done by hand, often at dawn, and the season can last from just over two weeks to a month, depending on the weather. The flowers are used fresh or processed quickly for oil and water.

Golabgiri ("making Rosewater") is a ceremony taking place annually from mid-May to mid-June in Kashan, Isfahan Province, Iran. The ceremony takes place throughout Kashan county, in Ghamsar, Niasar and other villages. Dur
Golabgiri ("making Rosewater") is a ceremony taking place annually from mid-May to mid-June in Kashan, Isfahan Province,. Photo: Mostafameraji, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Golabgiri ("making Rosewater") is a ceremony taking place annually from mid-May to mid-June in Kashan, Isfahan Province, Iran. The ceremony takes place throughout Kashan county, in Ghamsar, Niasar and other villages. Dur
Golabgiri ("making Rosewater") is a ceremony taking place annually from mid-May to mid-June in Kashan, Isfahan Province,. Photo: Mostafameraji, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Golabgiri ("making Rosewater") is a ceremony taking place annually from mid-May to mid-June in Kashan, Isfahan Province, Iran. The ceremony takes place throughout Kashan county, in Ghamsar, Niasar and other villages. Dur
Golabgiri ("making Rosewater") is a ceremony taking place annually from mid-May to mid-June in Kashan, Isfahan Province,. Photo: Mostafameraji, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Golabgiri ("making Rosewater") is a ceremony taking place annually from mid-May to mid-June in Kashan, Isfahan Province, Iran. The ceremony takes place throughout Kashan county, in Ghamsar, Niasar and other villages. Dur
Golabgiri ("making Rosewater") is a ceremony taking place annually from mid-May to mid-June in Kashan, Isfahan Province,. Photo: Mostafameraji, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

How Damask rose is used

The Damask rose is prized for its essential oil, which is distilled from the petals in countries like Iran, Bulgaria, and Turkey. Rose water and rose oil are used in perfumes, cosmetics, and traditional sweets. The petals are also eaten, made into preserves, or used to flavour dishes and drinks in Middle Eastern and Indian cuisine. The rose is celebrated in festivals, especially in Bulgaria’s Valley of Roses, and is an emblem for several regions.

Kinds of Damask rose

There are two main groups: Summer Damasks, which bloom only in summer, and Autumn Damasks, which can flower again later in the year. Notable cultivars include 'Trigintipetala', often grown for oil, and 'Celsiana', a semi-double type. The Damask rose has also contributed to the development of other old rose groups, such as Bourbon and Portland roses.

What Damask rose means

The Damask rose stands for beauty and love in many cultures. Its oil and water have been made for centuries, especially in the Middle East and South Asia. The flower is linked to festivals, such as the June rose festival in Bulgaria, and is a symbol for regions like Maui in Hawaii. In 2019, its rose oil tradition in Syria was recognised by UNESCO as part of world heritage.

Where Damask rose is used and seen

Rose Festival, BulgariaAnnual celebration of the Bulgarian rose harvest with parades and rituals

Traditions that use it

Indian loose-flower mandisThe attar of KannaujRose oil of Bulgaria and TurkeyThe Persian paradise garden and the charbagh

Where to see Damask rose

🇮🇳 Kannauj · Feb to AprAttar distilling in KannaujAn old perfume town on the Ganges where roses and other flowers are distilled in copper pots. 🇸🇦 Taif · Mar to AprRose harvest in TaifIn spring the mountain farms above Mecca pick pink damask roses at dawn for rose oil. 🇮🇷 Kashan · May to JunRose water season in Qamsar and KashanEach May the villages around Kashan distil damask roses into rose water, and visitors come to watch. 🇮🇷 Shiraz · Apr to MayEram Garden in springA classic Persian garden of cypress, roses and water, in a city scented by orange blossom. 🇹🇷 Isparta · May to JunRose harvest in IspartaTurkey's rose province, where damask roses are picked at dawn for oil in May and June. 🇴🇲 Nizwa · Mar to MayRose season on Jebel AkhdarTerraced mountain villages in Oman pick damask roses in April and distil a smoky rose water.

Questions people ask about Damask rose

Where does the Damask rose come from?

The Damask rose was created by crossing several rose species, likely in central Asia or Iran. It does not grow wild but has been cultivated for centuries in the Middle East and later spread to Europe and South Asia.

What is the Damask rose used for?

Its petals are distilled to make rose oil and rose water, which are used in perfumes, cosmetics, and food. The petals are also eaten or used to flavour sweets, drinks, and dishes, especially in Middle Eastern and Indian cuisine.

What does the Damask rose look like?

It is a thorny shrub with clusters of small to medium pink or light red flowers. The blooms are known for their strong, sweet fragrance and are usually gathered in the early morning.

What does the Damask rose symbolise?

The Damask rose is a symbol of beauty and love in many cultures. It is also an emblem for places such as Maui and is celebrated in festivals, especially in Bulgaria.

When does the Damask rose bloom?

Most Damask roses flower in early summer, with the harvest season lasting from two to four weeks depending on the climate and location.

Good reading and sources

Where this page comes from

The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Rosa × damascena", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Phool rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.

It may contain mistakes. It is not medical or foraging advice: many flowers are poisonous, and traditional uses are reported, not recommended. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.

Others in the family Rosaceae

The whole family
RoseRosa Woody perennial plants with showy, often fragrant flowers in many colours Rosa · Wildflower Wild cherryPrunus avium A tall flowering tree native to Europe, grown for its sweet fruit and spring blossom 🇮🇹 Italy and 6 more · Flowering tree HawthornCrataegus A thorny shrub or tree with white or pink spring flowers and small edible fruits 🇮🇪 Ireland and 7 more · Wildflower Malus The genus of apples and crabapples with spring blossoms and autumn fruit Malus · Flowering tree

More from Iran

All the flowers of Iran
PeachPrunus persica A flowering fruit tree from China, grown for its pink blossoms and sweet fruit 🇨🇳 China and 7 more · Flowering tree PomegranatePunica granatum A shrub with bright red flowers and a fruit full of edible seeds 🇮🇷 Iran and 9 more · Flowering shrub AlmondPrunus amygdalus A Mediterranean tree grown for its fragrant spring flowers and edible seeds 🇮🇷 Iran and 6 more · Flowering tree ApricotPrunus armeniaca A small fruit tree with early white to pink blossoms and golden-orange fruit 🇨🇳 China and 6 more · Flowering tree

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

The weekly bunch

Every Monday: what is in bloom, the flower festivals of the week, seven flowers you may not know and one tradition explained.