Flowers + Plants 101
What are Spray Roses?
Monday, April 4, 2022
Spray roses have the same characteristics as the typical hybrid roses you’d give for Valentine’s Day or a special occasion, but they’re smaller. Unlike most roses, spray roses have multiple blooms per stem, typically five to seven.
Spray roses are usually unscented and, like typical roses, come in various colors. These roses can be grown in a pot or soil if you’re a home gardener and have become a popular choice among florists, where you may see them labeled as miniature roses or sweetheart roses. These tinier blooms also make them ideal for wearing in your hair or corsages or boutonnieres.
The Meaning of Spray Roses
Like their larger counterparts, the color of spray roses conveys different meanings. Red spray roses symbolize romance and love, yellow spray roses symbolize happiness or remembrance, and pink spray roses denote appreciation and gratitude. Lavender spray roses mean enchantment and femininity.
When to Give Spray Roses
Spray roses can be gifted in pots or bouquets.
Spray roses make great gifts because of their tiny size. Their miniature size makes them an excellent gift for someone who doesn’t have a lot of space for a more extensive arrangement or gift.
Like regular-sized roses, miniature roses are traditionally given on holidays that celebrate love, such as Valentine’s Day, anniversaries, etc. But, they can also be given to friends or as a get well gift. If you’re selecting a spray rose for a non-romantic gift, be sure to stay away from red roses.
Because of their smaller size, spray roses also make great additions to bridal bouquets.
How to Care for Spray Roses
If you’ve given a gift of spray roses, you can take care of them indoors with some effort. Alternatively, you can transplant them outdoors.
Before you do anything with your plant, read the information label that comes with it. If you’re growing your spray roses indoors, they require regular repotting like most potted plants. A potting mix combined with sterlite, compost, and soil is best for growing spray roses indoors because it provides a rich, well-draining growing medium.
If you’re repotting your spray roses, aim for a container that’s two inches larger than the original. Most spray roses need repotting every year. If you’ve got a slow-growing variety, aim for every two years.
Whether indoors or out, spray roses need about six to eight hours of direct light a day. If you’re caring for them during the warmer months, don’t let your spray roses get too warm. or their petals may scorch.
If your miniature roses are in a pot, water them once the top inch of the soil feels dry. Don’t water the flowers or leaves around your plant — make sure to only water the soil because waterlogged blooms or leaves can lead to disease.
Your miniature roses like temperatures above 60 degrees. However, exposure to cooler temperatures will encourage them to bloom the following year. While this is easier to achieve if your spray roses are growing outdoors, this can be done by placing your plant in an unheated room during the colder months.
Whether you’re giving them as a potted plant, including them in a bouquet or arrangement, or growing them in your garden, miniature roses are the perfect way to make a meaningful statement no matter what the occasion.
Spray roses are usually unscented and, like typical roses, come in various colors. These roses can be grown in a pot or soil if you’re a home gardener and have become a popular choice among florists, where you may see them labeled as miniature roses or sweetheart roses
