Yes, you can use almost any type of rose to make rose water, but the fragrance and quality will vary. While many cultivated roses are visually appealing, they might lack a strong scent. The key is to select fragrant, organically grown roses to ensure the best results and avoid pesticide contamination.
Choosing Your Roses: A Guide
Several factors influence the quality of your homemade rose water:
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Fragrance: Opt for roses known for their strong and pleasant aroma. While you can use any rose, those with a weaker scent will yield a less potent rose water. Some popular choices include Rosa damascena, Rosa centifolia, and Rosa gallica, which are also known to be edible.
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Organic Growth: Prioritize organically grown roses to avoid pesticides and other harmful chemicals that could contaminate your rose water. Thoroughly rinsing the petals is also recommended.
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Variety: The color of the rose petals doesn't significantly impact the rose water's quality. However, the specific type of rose will affect the final scent. For example, using Ragusa Roses has been successfully reported.
Examples and Considerations:
- A grocery store rose, similar to those used by one Reddit user, successfully produced rose water.
- Some recipes suggest using any scented rose.
- Traditional rose water often utilizes damascena cultivars, particularly trignitipetalia. Rosa alba is another traditional choice.
The scent of your final product will be influenced by your choice of roses.
