A way to interpret the meaning of rose colors has been used down through the ages, allowing you to send the correct rose for any given occasion. So-called "black" roses are a somewhat dubious addition to the list.
But are black roses real or imaginary? If real, does that color come naturally? And what of their significance in the language of flowers?
Not everybody agrees on what they stand for. That fact should not surprise us, since the black rose is a creation, not a natural phenomenon (as I explain below). But "death" is, by far, the most common interpretation. For more detail, see What Black Roses Mean.
Plant developers have been trying to develop a black rose for a long time. No jet-black rose really exists at this time, but there are some so deep in color as to suggest black. Examples include Rosa 'Black Magic' and the one shown in the picture above, namely, Rosa 'Ruby Celebration.' To counteract nature's reluctance in this regard, florists resort to artifice: they simply dry the fresh blooms and spray or dye them black.
