Plated Rose
A plated rose is one that is handmade using real roses – no two are ever alike. Each rose is carefully selected at the peak of its beauty and then is preserved in a lacquer shell where it goes on to be dipped in 24K gold (gold plated), silver, or platinum. Ultimately, a hand-crafted, plated rose is created which can be enjoyed for years to come.
Roses are perennial plants which means they live on for more than two years. Perennials grow and bloom in the spring and summer and then every fall and winter, they 'die.' When the next spring returns, so does the flower, growing from its root-stock rather than seeding itself as an annual plant would do.
There are more than 100 species of rose which are classified under the plant family called Rosa. Roses form groups of erect shrubs which will either climb (some can grow up to 22 feet) or trail freely. Their stems are usually covered in prickles which are sharp, needle-like structures. The flowers on the rose number in color, from white to yellows and red with most species native to Asia. Some smaller rose species are native to North America, Europe, and northwest Africa. Many species of rose, in addition to hybrids (an offspring of two rose species fused to become one), and cultivars (a cultivated type of rose plant selected specifically for certain characteristics such as color, form, and disease resistance) are grown primarily because of how beautiful and fragrant they are.
The flowers on the rose generally have five petals, with the only exception being Rosa sericea – it has four. The petals are divided into distinctive lobes which are usually pink or white in color (some species are red or yellow). Under the petals are five (or four if it's the Rosa sericea species) sepals which are the part of the flower that covers the petals when it's in the stage of budding.
The prickles found along the rose stem are usually referred to as 'thorns.' Rose prickles are hook-like in shape and help the plant hang on to other vegetation when it grows over it. There are some species of rose (such as Rosa rugosa which grows on coastal sand dunes) that have tightly packed straight prickles which are likely to keep animals at bay; they may also have these types of 'thorns' so as to be able to trap sand that gets whipped around by the wind which would in itself erode the plant and its roots. Despite the fact that roses have prickles, they are often looked through by grazing deer to see if they have anything worth eating. Luckily, there are some species of rose which have prickles with no points.
With a plated rose, there will never be a worry about pricking your finger on a 'thorn.' While it's true the entire flower (including the stem) is preserved for plating, like the flower itself, the stem is covered in a precious metal during the plating process thereby eliminating the point one would feel on a real rose 'thorn.'
Sophia Grace is a collector of plated rose gifts. You can view a huge selection of plated rose gifts at Plated Gold Roses.