The Mystery of the Green Rose

Yes, there is such a thing as a green rose! Its formal name is Rosa chinensis viridiflora, and it's quite a conversation starter:

The Green Rose, MR 2014

I saw these beauties for the first time at our local botanical festival last weekend. They are quite amazing in that they are true roses, but without petals. The green "petals" are actually sepals. The flower is tiny, central, and slightly peppery in scent. They've been popular in China for centuries, and grown in Europe since the mid 1700s. It was fun to be a gardening Mythbuster this weekend, and this myth of the green rose is definitely true. Confirmed!