Black Rose Meaning, History & More

Co-authored by Luke Smith, MFA Reviewed by Ben Barkan

Last Updated: October 3, 2023 Fact Checked

Maybe you’ve seen them at the florist or in a particularly striking Instagram post. Black roses have a certain mystery and elegance you won’t find in other flower varieties, and it’s hard to look away when you see them. But what do they mean? And what’s a good occasion to give them as a gift? We’re here to fill you in on the history, significance, and the how-it’s-made of the alluring black rose.

Things You Should Know

Black roses are commonly used on occasions related to death or mourning.
Black roses can also signify things like change, power, or endings.
Black roses have history in medieval revolutions and other folk traditions.
You can make a black rose with dye, or naturally by growing darker varieties of roses.

Section 1 of 3:

Black Rose Meanings

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They often bring to mind the loss of a loved one, or the loss of a relationship. Many people choose to get tattoos of black roses as memorials to people who, for one reason or another, are no longer in their lives.^{[1]
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Research source} You might give black roses to someone grieving.
Consider them the darker counterpart to the typical red rose, which often signifies budding passion. If someone offers a black rose as a gift, it can signify that the relationship is ending and it’s time to part ways.^{[2]
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They can be a common go-to gift for someone undergoing major life changes, or a challenge that requires some courage.^{[3]
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Research source} They can also signify new beginnings and rebirth.^{[4]
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Research source} For this reason, they can be good flowers for weddings. Just be sure the bride and groom understand the intent!
Since red roses often symbolize romance and vitality, black roses can be a symbol of subversion, duality, or opposition. They might also represent good and evil.^{[5]
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Research source} Keep black roses in your home to remind yourself to keep balanced.
Black as a color is often used to represent things like power, confidence, and strength.^{[6]
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Research source} Pairing the color with a rose ups the elegance and allure, and makes black roses a great gift for someone as elegant and strong as the roses themselves.
For example, a black rose appeared in American Horror Story: Murder House to foreshadow a doomed romance^{[7]
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Research source} In Babylon 5, a black rose was used to mark an important death, and the tragic feelings that came with it.^{[8]
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Research source} Keep an eye out for black roses in TV, movies, books, and music, and take note of how they’re used.

Section 2 of 3:

History of Black Roses

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Many peasants in times of revolt and resistance regarded the black rose as a symbol similar to the Holy Grail. Since black roses can’t be found in nature, these peasants compared their exhausting struggle for freedom to finding a black rose–something out of reach, but sought after anyway.^{[9]
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The song, the title of which literally means “Black Rose,” originated in the 16th century and is said to be named after Róisín Dubh, supposedly a daughter of an Earl.^{[10]
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Research source} The song is very political in nature, referencing the turbulent state of Ireland during the presence of the Saxons and Normans.
Since death and loss is a popular meaning of the rose, family and friends of soldiers might have given these roses to deployed soldiers. These soldiers were going on a journey with little chances of coming back, and so the rose was given as a solemn reminder of their mortality.^{[11]
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Section 3 of 3:

How Black Roses Are Made

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To achieve the striking coloration, florists will add a flower dye to a container of water, then place a brightly-colored variety of rose in the container. The dye then travels up the stem as the roses drink the water, and eventually stain the petals that color. Other methods of dyeing roses include dipping rosebuds in dye, or spraying dye onto the bloomed flowers.^{[12]
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In the city of Halfeti, the roses may not be black, exactly, but rather an intensely dark wine color. This is due to the particular pH content of Halfeti’s soil, which alters the roses’ coloring. These roses are known as “Karagül" in Turkish, and today are a popular export of the city.^{[13]
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Research source} It’s not hard to see why!

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Tips

To dye your own roses at home, try starting with the rose varieties “Vendela,” “La Belle,” or “Avalanche.” These are white and cream-colored roses that respond well to dyes. Any light-colored rose variety will do, but the lighter, the better.^{[14]
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While you may not be able to grow your own naturally black roses, the rose varieties “Black Velvet,” “Black Magic,” and “Nigrette” have naturally dark pigments and can be just as striking.^{[15]
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