A true scientific breakthrough: the blue rose

The daily Telegraph ^ | May 23, 2004 | David Harrison

[Paladin2b]

It is the "Holy Grail" of horticulture and soon it could make the perfect present for Mother's Day: scientists have found a way to produce a blue rose.

A chance discovery in a laboratory means that they will be able to create the blue rose "within a year" and it is expected to go on sale to the public soon after that.

	How the blue rose could look

Rose breeders and growers said that blue roses would be hugely popular and estimated that they would win five per cent - £35 million - of the £700 million international market for cut roses.

Roses come in many colours - from pink to yellow, peach and red - but, until now, no one has found a way to create a natural blue rose and the quest has acquired an almost mystical significance among breeders.

The discovery was made by chance by two biochemists conducting research into drugs for cancer and Alzheimer's in a medical laboratory at Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee.

Professor Peter Guengerich and Dr Elizabeth Gillam were trying to find out how the human liver breaks down drugs when they came across a liver enzyme that had a startling effect.

"When we moved a liver enzyme into a bacterium, the bacterium turned blue," Dr Guengerich said. "We were aware that there were people in the world who had been interested in making coloured flowers, especially a blue rose, for a number of years.

"Dr Gillam had the bright idea that we could capitalise on our discovery by moving the gene into plants - and produce a blue rose."

The scientists, who have patented the process, describe their findings in an article in the next issue of the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. Rose growers and breeders - who have spent years experimenting with grafts and cross-breeding in unsuccessful attempts to produce a blue rose - gave a mixed reaction to the discovery.

Ian Kennedy, a spokesman for the British Association of Rose Breeders, described the findings as exciting.

Peter Beales, the president of the Royal National Rose Society, was less impressed. "It might be a novelty for a year or two then it will probably disappear into oblivion," he said.

A spokesman for the Conservative Party declined to say whether it would consider adopting the blue rose as its emblem - trumping Labour's red rose - but one official said: "All things are possible. Perhaps one day we will see a true blue rose as the symbol of the true blue party."

[Paladin2b]

A spokesman for the Conservative Party declined to say whether it would consider adopting the blue rose as its emblem - trumping Labour's red rose - but one official said: "All things are possible. Perhaps one day we will see a true blue rose as the symbol of the true blue party."

This is what had me thumping the table--blue has ALWAYS been the traditional color of conservatism. How we let the media give us "red states" when red is the color of SOCIALISM is beyond me. I remember when GOP states were colored blue by the networks on election night, does anyone else remember?

[Prime Choice]

This is what had me thumping the table--blue has ALWAYS been the traditional color of conservatism. How we let the media give us "red states" when red is the color of SOCIALISM is beyond me. I remember when GOP states were colored blue by the networks on election night, does anyone else remember?

You're not the only one who recalls that. I too was stumped when they started labelling GOP states as red. All the time I grew up, they were always blue.

[Thinkin' Gal]

Roses are red
Violets are blue...

Er, wait that's

Roses are blue
Violets are red...

Is Bobby Vinton aware of this?

[AntiGuv]

It's because of a twist of fate..

When the networks began televising election results, the convention was settled on that blue would represent the incumbent party and red would represent the opposition party. Between 1972 and 1992 the Dems got blue for only one election - Pres. Carter in 1980. Then, when Clinton was the incumbent he got blue for 1996 and Gore inherited it in 2000. Now, after four years of punditry on the Red States v Blue States in that razor-thin election, it seems the GOP is stuck with red and the Dems have coopted blue.

We'll see if it switches back this year but I'd bet money the colors are now here to stay..

[jocon307]

"I'd bet money the colors are now here to stay.."

I venture you are correct. But that's OK, I've always liked red best. Too bad about not being able to use this new rose, well, we'll let the Tories have it for now. I actually prefer yellow roses above all others.

[Peach]

Ping for a pretty picture of a blue rose, now being developed.

[Caipirabob]

Now we are the color of red for the Conservative Revolution. The price of Freedom is inevitably paid for in blood, it's a good color. I am perfectly content that the corrupt media establishment views the conservative movement as a rebellion against it's well established liberal propaganda machine.

[aculeus]

Blue roses for a red lady?

[blanknoone]

But that's OK, I've always liked red best.

I actually object to the set color scheme. There is a very good reason why the D's don't want red, and their media handmaidens won't give it to them. The color red has powerful association with communism...and its failure. That is meaningless if applied to R's, but a powerful negative when applied to the communists' socialist kissing cousins in our D party.

[muawiyah]

Look, "blue" has always applied to "BLUE NOSES", and no good Republican wishes to be one of them!

[blanknoone]

I don't even know what a blue nose is...regardless, it is not nearly as damaging an association as being red.

Better dead than red.

[martin_fierro]

Blue Roses
Words and music by Paddy McAloon

blue roses will blossom in the snow
before I ever let you go
blue roses will grow up to the sky
before I ever make you cry

blue roses...

you need more reassurance
than a frightened orphan child
that I'm always gonna want you
that I'll always be beguiled

so I search for words to tell you
that my love for you is blind
but this fragment of a children's song
is all that I can find

blue roses will blossom in the snow
before I ever let you go
blue roses will grow up to the sky
before I ever make you cry

blue roses...

this nursery rhyme is corny,
it is stranded out of time
yet it's simple and it's honest
the same and since when was that a crime ?

and perhaps whoever wrote it
loved someone like I love you
for in matters of the heart I've learned
there's little that is new

blue roses will blossom In the snow
before I ever let you go
blue roses will grow up to the sky
before I ever make you cry

blue roses...

[muawiyah]

A "Blue Nose" is a New England busybody who wants to take your children away, tax you into penury, and force quack medicine on you.

They'll teach your babies to smoke.

Ted Kennedy, John Kerry ~ that crowd ~ they are all "Blue Noses".

[arthurus]

Recoloring the sates was a deliberate attempt to disassociate the color red from the left so thar "red" might cease to be shorthand for socialist-commie-stalinist-tyrant-immoral-etc.

[blanknoone]

Then that is no threat...it is not close to the truth. It is the truth in the charge of red that makes it so damaging to D's.

[The Duke]

When the created the blue LED could the blue rose be very far behind?

[Hank Kerchief]

blue rose

Another gem added to our oxymoronic world.

Hank

[ColdSteelTalon]

Is Bobby Vinton aware of this?

She wore bluuuuuuuuuue VELVET....

[Renfield]

Hear, Hear!! The same though occurred to me. It's time to recapture the blue!!

[Quix]

I strongly agree. I hope AT LEAST FOX corrects the horror!