In Ancient Greece the Rose was the flower of the goddess Aphrodite. According to the myth, the goddess Flora turned into a flower a beautiful dead nymph. The goddess Aphrodite added beauty and three Graces added shine, joy and charm. Dionysus gave a nectar and Zephyros blew out and removed the clouds so that Apollo would fill it in the sunlight. The flower was given to Eros and was named Rose.
Perhaps there are many who do not know that the Rhodope mountain range was named after the many Roses that existed in this region and so the name of the prefecture of Rhodope emerged!
The tradition of growing roses in this region has been completely forgotten, but not so long ago, the inhabitants of the Rhodope, specifically the area of Chloi and the Organi, decided to revive the tradition and use the advantages of the region, starting to grow roses for the production of rose oil.
Where are about ninety acres of roses in Chloe and Organa, 23 producers are the cooperative that has been set up, and another 8 people are going to be added. His name? Cooperative “Rose of Rhodope”!
According to the founding member of the co-operative Ali Kirimitzi, the roses need an altitude of at least 800 meters, humidity, they love the cold and not at all the high temperatures.
The rose petals are collected from the beginning of May until the end of the month and always in the early morning hours (from 4 in the morning until 9-10 in the morning), because then the flower is at the top of its oil productivity, while at the same time the best conditions of maintenance are ensured in order to be transported for the distillation of the oil. The price of Rose oil is enough high: For the first category it is go up to 6.700 euros per liter!!!
Rose oil is known as “beauty oil”, it is widely used in the production of cosmetics and perfumes and has unique healing properties.
