Roses vary widely in the number of petals depending on the species and cultivation.
- Wild roses, such as Rosa chinensis, typically have 5 petals, which is the natural petal count for most wild species
- Cultivated roses, developed through centuries of hybridization, usually have many more petals. The average market rose typically has between 20 and 40 petals
- Some cultivated varieties can have as many as 60 to 80 petals, although these tend to have a shorter lifespan due to the energy required to sustain so many petals
- Rose classifications by petal count include:
- Single blooms: 4-8 petals (wild rose look)
- Semi-double blooms: 9-16 petals
- Double blooms: 17-25 petals
- Full blooms: 26-40 petals
- Very full blooms: 41+ petals
- Some roses can have over 100 petals depending on the variety
In summary, while wild roses have 5 petals, cultivated roses generally range from 20 to 40 petals, with some varieties exceeding that number significantly due to human cultivation efforts.
