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Sep 09 2005 15 Comments

Blue bloom

Perhaps for no other reason than to stop greeting card manufacturers using tired old rhymes concerning the colour of roses and violets, Suntory Ltd — with the help of Australian company Florigene — has produced a blue rose. A result that took a staggering 15 years of research to achieve.

As it’s due to go on public display over the weekend (for the first time I think), the blue bloom was shown to the press yesterday.

blue rose

An event that must have been fascinating to say the least.

Categorized: General, Science

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Whitey says

    9/9/2005 at 8:48 pm

    Looks purple to me.

    Reply
  2. Reeve says

    9/9/2005 at 9:07 pm

    It seems close to a light indigo, so I *guess* it could be considered blue…

    Reply
  3. Lee says

    9/9/2005 at 9:09 pm

    Yeah, I’m not very convinced it’s blue either.

    Perhaps after 15 years they said, “Sod it, that’s near enough.”

    Reply
  4. englishman says

    9/9/2005 at 9:24 pm

    it’s green isn’t it?

    Reply
  5. Jamie Brockington says

    9/9/2005 at 11:25 pm

    More of a violet to me…

    Reply
  6. Cloud says

    9/10/2005 at 12:43 am

    Roses are violet?

    Reply
  7. martin g says

    9/10/2005 at 12:55 am

    Hmmm,

    I’ve (un)scientifically analysed the press release pic, and find that has an RGB value of roughly 112, 104, 177 ( i.e. 29% Red, 26% Green, 45% Blue ) – clearly some way away from what might usually be thought of as ‘Blue’.

    Looks nice though.

    Reply
  8. Peter says

    9/10/2005 at 1:44 am

    I agree with Englishman. The word in Japanese for blue (青い) is also used for green.

    Reply
  9. yanwong says

    9/10/2005 at 2:42 am

    Wow!

    Reply
  10. ifrit says

    9/10/2005 at 4:26 am

    martin g, good job! 😀

    Reply
  11. Azim says

    9/10/2005 at 11:13 am

    It would look more blue with a “gratuitous image of an attractive young celebrity wearing next to nothing” next to it. But Thank You for the regular posts… makes surfing the net more interesting.

    Reply
  12. Anonymous Coward says

    9/11/2005 at 6:13 am

    You know SEX doesn’t always sell…. err… wait, wrong forum.

    Reply
  13. Fraser from Denmark says

    9/11/2005 at 6:26 pm

    Hmmm not sure this is a first as I am looking at a catalogue from J Parker a UK plant and seed seller that has blue roses for sale at £3.95. Looking much more blue than this one…….. But of course it is the first time this particular bloom has been shown.

    Reply
  14. countess says

    9/11/2005 at 7:19 pm

    looks lavendar. or rather, wisteria. but not blue.

    Reply
  15. melina says

    9/14/2005 at 2:43 am

    it’s really beautiful, or should i say “bluetiful”???

    Reply

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