True roses are shrubs in the Rosaceae family, often confused with Chinese roses (Rosa chinensis) and plants that share the same name

In botanical terms, the true rose belongs to the genus Rosa in the family Rosaceae and is a deciduous shrub; what we usually call the traditional rose refers to this plant. Its branches are densely covered with prickles, and its pinnately compound leaves are made up of five to nine leaflets, with a distinctly wrinkled upper surface and a downy underside - these features are enough to identify it.

It is most easily confused with the Chinese rose (Rosa chinensis). Chinese roses mostly bloom several times a year and have smooth, glossy leaves, whereas the true rose usually blooms only once a year, with the flowering period concentrated in late spring and early summer; its leaf surface is wrinkled and its fragrance is much stronger. Most of the rose cut flowers sold in flower shops are in fact modern Chinese roses, which is why many people misunderstand what a true rose looks like.

There are quite a few varieties of true roses, with Kushui rose, Pingyin rose and Damask rose among the common representatives. These roses have a pronounced fragrance; their petals can be used to extract essential oil, to scent flower tea, and to make traditional foods such as rose jam and rose cakes, offering both ornamental and economic value.

In addition, many plants with "rose" in their name are not true roses, such as the mountain rose and the small-ball rose of the Crassulaceae family, and the desert rose of the Apocynaceae family. They merely resemble roses in appearance or name and are not related in classification, and their care methods are very different, so it is best to tell them apart before buying and planting.