Violets are Blue, Now Roses are Too
Recently we reported on rainbow colored roses from the Netherlands, that were causing quite a craze in Tokyo, Japan. The craze has apparently not worn off, as one Japanese company has developed something quite new and original.
Suntory Ltd., who also produces alcohol, created the world’s first genetically modified Blue roses, which they will begin to sell next year.
“As its price may be a bit high, we are targeting demand for luxurious cut flowers, such as for gifts,” he said. The exact price and commercial name for the blue rose have not been decided.
They created the flowers by implanting the gene that leads to the synthesis of the blue pigment Delphinidin in pansies. The pigment does not exist naturally in roses.
By Aki Nakimura on 05-02-2008
Comment by rprebel
February 5th, 2008 at 3:51 am
Roses are red, roses are blue.
Don’t eat the flowers, or you will be too.
I love genetics.
Comment by psivius
February 5th, 2008 at 6:46 am
Ok! So they went after blue and they got purple. Somebody should really let them know…
Comment by Trish
February 5th, 2008 at 11:53 am
They are not blue, they are purple! Companies in the US have been selling them for years.
Comment by Nina
February 5th, 2008 at 5:51 pm
it’s kinda like how you say Blueberries but they’re not actually blue they’re purple.. soo.. =)
Comment by Robert
February 6th, 2008 at 12:50 am
“Ok! So they went after blue and they got purple. Somebody should really let them know…
”
This is Japan, where even the green traffic signals are blue..
Comment by kertong
February 6th, 2008 at 1:08 am
pleurosis, anyone?
Comment by BigBOY
February 6th, 2008 at 7:03 am
Looks lovely
Comment by S. Carroll
February 6th, 2008 at 8:03 am
Is anyone having flashes to the anime Blood+ or is it just me….?
Comment by Andy
February 10th, 2008 at 10:13 am
I think they’ve missed something…
These roses were made by SUNTORY.
Can they invent roses that smell like whisky???
Comment by Ralph
February 16th, 2008 at 12:23 pm
Put a little blue dye in a glass and a white rose freshly picked with a good long stem and wait a day or two. You will have a beautifully colored rose. The deeper the blue coloring the better blue rose you will get and you can use non toxic food coloring so then you can eat the roses as long as they weren’t a poisonous type in the first place.
Comment by Heather
February 19th, 2008 at 3:29 pm
And what is the point of making roses blue?
Comment by ???
February 22nd, 2008 at 7:22 am
probably
Comment by ???
February 22nd, 2008 at 7:22 am
some people don’t like red or white
Comment by wowow
May 18th, 2008 at 4:44 am
i will pay $500 for a green one, been looking for one for more then 10years
Comment by enviromentalist
February 5th, 2009 at 7:55 pm
give me transparent roses and i will give you 5000$
Comment by anon
August 21st, 2009 at 1:12 am
simpsons did it