Damascus rose essential oil

The Damask rose is a deciduous shrub growing to 2.2 metres (7 ft 3 in) tall, the stems densely armed with stout, curved prickles and stiff bristles. The leaves are pinnate, with five (rarely seven) leaflets. The roses are a light to moderate pink to light red. The relatively small flowers grow in groups. The bush has an informal shape. It is considered an important type of Old Rose, and also important for its prominent place in the pedigree of many other typessional doctor before using essential oil.

Iran, Bulgaria and Turkey are the major producers of rose oil from the different cultivars of Rosa × damascena. France and India also contribute significantly to the world market.

The cultivation of the "Bulgarian rose" as Rosa × damascena has been developed since Roman times. It is cultivated for commercial use in an area in the vicinity of Kazanlak and Karlovo in Bulgaria called the "Valley of Roses". The distillate from these roses is called "Bulgarian rose oil" and "Bulgarian rose otto". While families still operate their own small distilleries and produce what is denominated "village oil", the commercialization of rose oil as a high quality product is carefully regulated by a state cooperative in the Isparta region of Turkey. The roses are still grown by the small family farms but the flowers are brought to stills established and regulated by the cooperative for distillation and quality control.

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