Guard Petals on Roses

As their name suggests, “guard petals” grow around the exterior of roses to protect the beautiful blooms inside. The guard petals are not usually as pretty as the delicate interior petals, making flower shoppers wonder if the rose itself is not good. That is not the case, however, as there is a healthy rose just beneath the surface. The damage on the guard petals is only proof that they have done their job of protecting the flower throughout the growing process, during transportation, and as it made its way into the local flower shop.

What are Guard Petals?

Roses usually have 3-4 guard petals surrounding the exterior of the bloom. Different varieties of roses may have more or fewer guard petals. These petals are hard and have a rougher texture than other rose petals. They can have differences in color too; some may be darker than the rest of the rose, have black edges, or some brown coloring. Some guard petals appear more green and leaf-like than floral. Others have a striped or veiny appearance.

The guard petals’ rough texture allows them to be like an armor for the flower inside. And they have a lot of work to do to protect the roses! There are many natural forces that pose a threat to the roses as they grow: the wind and rain, insects looking for a snack, and animals or humans brushing past the blooms. If it wasn’t for the guard petals, the rose petals could become easily damaged and have bruises, tears, or holes. The guard petals may not have a beautiful appearance, but they wear their battle scars proudly!

It is not only natural forces that are at play when it comes to keeping roses beautiful. Roses that are grown for the cut flower industry are often shipped thousands of miles before reaching their final destination. The top rose producing countries are India, China, Ecuador, Colombia, Kenya, Mexico, Italy, Thailand, Japan and Netherlands. To get to United States and European consumers, the roses have to survive plane rides with plenty of bumps and turns along the way. That’s why farmers leave the guard petals on roses to protect them during the shipping process.

How to Remove Guard Petals

 When the wholesale roses arrive at the flower shop, they are still surrounded by their guard petals. Florists will often keep the guard petals on the flowers until they are ready to design them into an arrangement. That way, if the flowers bump into one another in their buckets of water, their heads will not get damaged. Customers who haven’t heard about guard petals might wonder why these funky-looking petals are on an otherwise beautiful rose. They are simply the flower’s natural defense mechanism to keep their blooms looking their best, and it is not a sign that the rose is going bad.

When it comes time to arrange roses into a vase or bouquet, you may want to remove the guard petals to expose the full beauty of the rose. Simply place your index finger between the guard petal and the closest interior rose petal. Pinch your index finger and thumb together and pull the guard petal off. Be sure to remove the entire guard petal. Any pieces left behind at the base of the flower are like open cuts that can introduce bacteria and shorten the life of the flower. Removing the guard petals also allows the rose to open faster and look bigger because the tough exterior petals are no longer holding the bloom in.

Now that you know all about guard petals and how to remove them, here are a few more florist tips for preparing cut roses for your flower arrangement:

• Remove any leaves that will fall below the water line in the vase.
• Remove thorns using your hands or a rose stripper, but be careful not to damage the stem in the process, which could allow bacteria to get into the flower, shortening its lifespan.
• Cut each rose on an angle with a knife or scissors and then place it directly into the water. Now you are creating a beautiful rose arrangement!

We know that guard petals have an important job to do, but does that mean that they are always considered “ugly?” Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and the different textures and unusual colors of guard petals can actually be seen as part of the unique beauty of nature. Some people appreciate the quirky guard petals, and they can sometimes make roses last longer by causing them to open more slowly. So next time you are picking out roses from your local flower shop, compare and contrast looks with or without guard petals. It is perfectly fine to leave these petals intact on the flower if you like them!

This article was published by Chad Kremp