國花系列:CHINESE ROSE (伊拉克)

At the end of the eighteenth century, as Chinese Roses were prominently introduced to the West, there was a great revolution in the world of roses. The arrivAl of the China Roses changed the rose world profoundly.

The Chinese Roses broadened the scents of roses. New blends became apparent when the Chinese hybridized with other roses. In A Fragrant Year, Helen van Pelt Wilson and Léonie Bell, state that Chinas are vaguely scented on their own. They remark that they are able to detect the fragrance of nectarine in 'Old Blush'. They go on further to say that 'Old Blush' gave a pepper smell to some of its offspring; in others a fruity smell was heightened. They believe that 'Parson's Pink' and 'Slater's Crimson China' had little scent. The mating with European fragrances produced a pronounced fruity bouquet, notably nectarine or raspberry, that can be found in the Bourbons.

The Chinese Rose brought a change to the form of the flower. The high centered exhibition rose owes its form to the China genes. The China Roses also brought the rose world slender buds that unfurl when opening.

The Chinese Roses have a mysterious origin. Although there is no evidence of how they were developed, they are the product of a rich culture of ingenious people. They were not seen in art before the tenth century, were not a part of mythology, and little is known of their history. What we do know is that they were cultivated for many centuries in China; however, the Chinese did not prize the rose as they did the chrysanthemum, which appears in their art from long times past.

The value of the Chinese Rose should not be underestimated. Graham Thomas believes that the Chinese Roses are the species upon which modern roses are built. The work of Dr. Hurst pinpointed our Chinese roses back to four garden roses known as the Four Stud Chinas :'Slater's Crimson China' (1792), 'Parson's Pink China' (1793, Identical to 'Old Blush'), 'Hume's Blush Tea-scented China' (1809), and 'Parks' Yellow Tea-scented China' (1824). There may be evidence that the China Rose was known in Italy long before the official introduction dates.

　　學名：Rosa chinensis
　　英名：Chinese Rose
　　別名：長春花、月月紅、鬥雪紅、瘦客
　　科屬：薔薇科
產地與習性：薔薇科屬植物原產北半球，幾乎遍及亞、歐兩大洲，中國是月季的原 產地之一。至於現代月季，血緣關係極爲複雜。月季爲有刺灌木，或呈蔓狀與攀援狀。

形態特徵
薔薇屬植物爲有刺灌木或呈蔓狀、攀綠狀植物。葉互生，奇數羽狀複葉。花單生或排成傘房花序、圓錐花序；花瓣；枚或重瓣。有多種花具有香氣。在開花後，花托膨大，即成爲薔薇果，有紅、黃、橙紅、黑紫等色，呈圓、扁、長因等形狀。月季爲常綠或半常綠灌木，具鉤狀皮刺。羽狀小葉3～5枚，花常數朵簇生，微香，單瓣，粉紅或近白色。花期10月。如香水月季,由月季與巨花薔薇天然雜交而來。枝長，常帶攀援性，小葉5～7枚，表面有光澤，新梢、嫩葉常爲古銅色。花有粉紅、淺黃、橙黃、純白等色，芳香，生長季節開花不絕。而現代月季是經多次雜交、長期選育而成的雜種月季品種羣。灌木或藤本；葉較厚、較大而表面光澤；花蕾多卵圓形，花形豐富，復瓣至重瓣，淡香至濃香。連續開花，而以5～６月及９～１０月爲盛花期。

產地與習性
薔薇科屬植物原產北半球，幾乎遍及亞、歐兩大洲，中國是月季的原產地之一。至於現代月季，血緣關係極爲複雜。月季爲有刺灌木，或呈蔓狀與攀援狀。喜日照充足，空氣流通，排水良好而避風的環境，盛夏需適當遮蔭。多數品種最適溫度白晝15～26℃夜間10～15℃。較耐寒，冬季氣溫低於5℃即進入休眠。如夏季高溫持續30℃以上，則多數品種開花減少，品質降低，進入半休狀態。一般品種可耐15℃低溫。要求富含有機質、肥沃、疏鬆之微酸性土壤，但對土壤的適應範圍較寬。空氣相對溼度宜75%～80%，但稍幹、稍溼也可。有連續開花的特性。

月季傳說
和平月季是法國人弗蘭西斯.梅朗1939年在法西斯鐵蹄下培育出來的。他以3-35-40的代號，將這種月季寄到美國。美國園藝家焙耶收到了這遠渡重洋的品種後，立即分送美國南北各重要花圃進行繁殖。幾年後，這個新品種東山再起，一時轟動全美。1945年美國太平洋月季協會將這個品種命名爲和平，並宣稱：我們確信，當代最了不起的這一新品種月季，應當以當今世界人民最大的願望“和平”來命名，我們相信，和平月季將做爲一個典範，永遠生長在我們子孫萬代的花園裏。 和平月季命名這一天，正巧聯軍攻克柏林，希特勒滅亡。而當和平月季獲全美帝國主義無條件投降。當聯合國成立，在舊金山召開第一次會議時，每個代表房間的花瓶裏，都有一束美國月季協會贈送的和平月季。上面有一個字條寫着：我們希望“和平”月季能夠影響人們的思想，給全世界以持久和平。第二次世界大戰期間，法西斯匪徒在離布拉格十四公里一個叫里斯底的村子裏，殘害了一百七十五名十五歲以上的男人，並將婦女和兒童關進集中營。戰後，爲了紀念這些人們，許多月季專家和一些自願捐助的人，於1955年在這裏建起了一個月季園，其中主要的品種是和平。