The English National Flower: Red Rose of Lancaster

Historical Origins

What rose became England's national flower in the mid-15th century during the Wars of the Roses? Was it the red Lancastrian rose, adopted by the victorious Tudor dynasty?

Answer

The national flower is simply a red rose, adopted during the Wars of the Roses. Henry VII chose it upon marrying Elizabeth of York, selecting the red rose (his Lancastrian symbol) as the emblem of union. In heraldry, the red rose is superimposed on the white Rose of York.

Botanical Identities

• Lancastrian rose: Rosa gallica officinalis
• Rose of York: Rosa alba