Bitter Water Rose

Bitter Water Rose

The Bitter Water Rose is a protected geographical indication product.

The Bitter Water Rose is a certified geographical indication trademark.

The Bitter Water Rose is an agricultural geographical indication product.

　　Lanzhou City’s Yongdeng County, Kuoshui Township, is nationally renowned as the “Hometown of Roses.” The Bitter Water Rose is famous both at home and abroad for its enchanting fragrance. In spring and summer, the area bursts into bloom with vibrant colors and is filled with the sweet scent of roses, attracting visitors from far and wide. The rose has a wide range of uses and high economic value. Rose petals are an essential ingredient in making pastries and brewing wine, while rose oil is a primary component in cigarettes, soaps, perfumes, and high-end cosmetics. The quality of the Bitter Water Rose is exceptional—rose oil extracted from it achieves an essential oil yield comparable to that of Bulgaria, the world-famous rose-producing region. Both the flowers and roots of the rose can be used medicinally, offering benefits such as soothing qi and blood circulation, and relieving liver stagnation and depression.

　　Geographic Scope

　　Yongdeng County is located in central Gansu Province, in the northwestern suburbs of Lanzhou City, spanning longitude 102°36’ to 103°45’ and latitude 36°12’ to 37°07’. The registered production area for the “Bitter Water Rose” geographical indication includes 12 townships and 96 administrative villages: Kuoshui Town, Hongcheng Town, Longquansi Town, Datong Town, Liushu Township, Zhongbao Town, Shangchuan Town, Chengguan Town, Shuping Town, Heqiao Town, Liancheng Town, and Wushengyi Town. The total area spans 2,960 square kilometers, with 6,700 hectares under rose cultivation and an annual yield of 50,250 metric tons of Bitter Water Roses.

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　1. External Sensory Features: The Bitter Water Rose belongs to the Rosaceae family and is a natural hybrid of the Rosa obtusifolia and traditional Chinese roses. It is a semi-double small-flowered rose, classified as an Asian aromatic variety, and grows at altitudes between 1,600 and 2,400 meters, making it a rare highland natural rose variety in the world. The Bitter Water Rose is a food-and-medicine dual-use variety and is a typical representative of the Eastern aromatic type. Its flower buds are compact, with fresh buds weighing 0.85–0.95 grams each. The calyx is small and pitcher-shaped, while the petals are fleshy, tender, deep pink in color, and emit a uniquely rich fragrance with a silky texture. The taste is sweet with a slight bitterness, and each blossom contains 18–24 petals. Dried flower buds are plump, with yellow-green sepals and purple-red buds, exuding a delicate fragrance. The Bitter Water Rose has a high oil yield and is rich in selenium, making it an excellent choice for consumption, medicine, and beauty care. It serves as a premium ingredient in “Lanzhou Three-Cup Tea” and various floral and herbal beverages. 2. Internal Quality Characteristics: The volatile oil content of the Bitter Water Rose ranges from 0.02 ml/g to 0.05 ml/g, significantly higher than the maximum of 0.03 ml/g found in other rose varieties. Its total flavonoid content (calculated as rutin) is 0.33 g/100 g to 0.58 g/100 g, also well above the 0.4 g/100 g maximum of other roses. It offers pharmacological benefits for the human cardiovascular system, digestive system, metabolism, immune function, as well as antioxidant, anti-aging, and anti-tumor properties. 3. Safety Requirements: The growing environment for Bitter Water Roses strictly adheres to the NY5360-2010 standards for the environmental conditions of pollution-free edible flower production areas. The final product is produced in strict compliance with the NY/T2140-2012 standards for green food herbal tea.

　　Unique Qualities

　　The rose, extensively cultivated in Kuoshui Town, Yongdeng County, Gansu, has developed over more than 200 years into the widely acclaimed “Bitter Water Rose” brand. It is characterized by abundant blooms, rich juice, and a pure, refreshing fragrance. As a result, Kuoshui Town has earned the reputation of being the “Number One Rose Hometown in China.”

　　Cultural Stories

　　The cultivation of Bitter Water Roses in Yongdeng County dates back over two hundred years. Historical records indicate that during the Daoguang era of the Qing Dynasty, a scholar surnamed Wang from Liyaogou (now Xiàxīngōu Village) in Kuoshui, Yongdeng, brought back several rose plants from Xi’an after returning from the imperial examinations in Beijing. He planted them in his garden for ornamental purposes. Thanks to the area’s highly suitable soil and climate, the roses flourished—lush, flowery, and deeply fragrant. Their captivating scent won people’s hearts, and more and more locals wanted to grow them. Word spread rapidly, and soon households everywhere began propagating the roses through division, planting them in front of their homes, in courtyards, and around their yards. Over time, they expanded to terraced fields and canal banks, initially for ornamental use before gradually spreading to surrounding regions. Since the roses were first introduced in Kuoshui and had been cultivated there and in nearby areas for a long time through continuous selection and breeding, a local variety eventually took shape. Hence, it became commonly known as the “Bitter Water Rose.”