Fragrant Hills Roses

Fragrant Hills Roses

Fragrant Hills Roses are a product with geographical indication status.

　　Roses belong to the Rosaceae family. They are deciduous shrubs, native to China with a long history of cultivation. According to Records of the Western Capital, roses were already being cultivated during the Han Dynasty, and since the Southern Song Dynasty they have been widely used in making pastries. The cultivation of roses in Jiankou Village, Jiaogou Town, Miyun District, has a history of several hundred years. The Fragrant Hills roses are renowned both at home and abroad for their large blooms, vibrant colors, rich fragrance, high oil content, excellent quality, and high economic value. As a result, the Jiankou area of Fragrant Hills is also known as Rose Valley. The Jiankou region lies in a south-facing, basket-shaped basin with good heating and drainage conditions. During the summer solstice, the area enjoys no less than 13 hours of sunlight, and the rose blooming period features little rain and abundant sunshine, which is conducive to the formation and accumulation of aromatic oils. The soil here has a thick humus layer, is slightly acidic, and is rich in trace elements such as iron, manganese, copper, and zinc. These exceptional natural conditions give the roses from this area their uniquely fragrant aroma and superior quality.

　　There are seven varieties of roses: Chicken Claw Branch, Small Chrysanthemum, Large Chrysanthemum, Thorny, Broom-shaped, Single-petal, and Flowerless. Except for the Flowerless type, which produces no flowers, all six other types bear flowers; except for the Single-petal type, the others are double-petaled. The Chicken Claw Branch is considered the finest among roses, accounting for 70–80% of the total. It grows to a height of 200–260 cm, with grayish-brown main stems, sturdy branches, short internodes, and an open canopy. Its leaves are oval-shaped, reddish-purple, with 32–48 leaves per flower stem; the flower diameter is 7–8 cm, and the flower weighs 4.0–4.6 grams. The oil content is 0.047–0.050%. The roses bloom abundantly on June 10th, displaying brilliant colors and a strong fragrance that can be detected from miles away. The best time to pick the roses is just before sunrise when the morning dew is still on the flowers—this is when the fragrance is strongest and the quality at its peak.

　　Roses are not only excellent for greening, beautification, and soil conservation, but they also have a wide range of uses and high economic value. The flowers can be used for making wine, sugar, pastries, and scented tea, as well as ingredients in daily chemical products such as pomades, perfumes, toothpaste, and high-end cosmetics. Dried rose buds and roots can be used medicinally to regulate qi and invigorate blood circulation. The root bark can be used as a yellow-brown dye for silk. However, their primary use is in extracting aromatic oils, which are valuable raw materials in the flavor and pharmaceutical industries. Rose oil is expensive and generates significant foreign exchange, earning it the nickname “the gold mine that requires no mining.”

　　Beijing has designated Fragrant Hills as a rose production base, and Jiankou Village has become a specialized village for rose production.

　　Geographical Scope

　　Miyun District’s Jiaogou Town is located slightly southwest of central Beijing, covering a total area of 110 square kilometers. The terrain is higher in the north and lower in the south, with the highest point being the main peak of Fragrant Hills at an elevation of 1,290.8 meters, and the lowest being the Yongding River valley at 134 meters. The “Fragrant Hills Roses” are mainly distributed in Jiankou Village and Chanfang Village within Jiaogou Town, with a combined area of 17.64 square kilometers and elevations between 800–1,200 meters. The protected area falls within the geographic coordinates of 40°35′10″N to 40°39′20″N and 115°57′10″E to 116°03′45″E, covering a protected area of 335 hectares with an annual yield of 150,000 kilograms.

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　1. External Sensory Characteristics: Fragrant Hills roses grow to about 150 cm in height, with an upright plant form. The main stems are grayish-brown, with many tillers, thick and upright clumping shoots, and short internodes. The young branches are densely covered with thorns and hair, the small leaves are long-oval shaped, the main veins have few thorns, and the leaf surface shows obvious wrinkles. The flowers are disc-shaped, open-hearted, with over 40 petals, a pure rose-red color, a flower diameter greater than 5 cm, and a single flower weight of more than 4.0 grams. They are non-fruit-bearing and primarily reproduce through tillering. The petals are edible and have a rich fragrance. 2. Internal Quality Indicators: The oil extraction rate is 0.04–0.05%. 3. Safety Requirements: Fragrant Hills roses are produced in strict accordance with national standards, using agricultural inputs rationally. The use of banned chemical pesticides is strictly prohibited. Products are only allowed on the market after passing pesticide residue testing.