How come rose plants have torns? And what happen to the fragrant smell it used to have?

Answer 1

Rose thorns or prickles are not the only plants to have this defense. It was nature's way to protect the plants in the wild from maurders who would steal nectar, eat buds, eat seeds, whatever. In desert plants the leaves have mutated to thorns and the photosynthesis this conducted elsewhere, like the stems. Leaves would loose too much moisture.

As for the lack of fragrance, it is not important to many people. Hybridizers are striving for perfect form, disease resistance.......not scent. Some hybridizers still love the fragrant roses are and breeding back to the various "wild" or species roses to regain the scents.

Also remember the scent may be there but your climate may be defeating it. Time of day, temperature, humidity all can affect rose fragrances.

Answer 2

Some of the hybrid teas have had the smell bred right out of them, sacrificed for more beautiful blooms.There are many many old roses, English roses, Rugosas, floribundas, most climbers, and other varieties that still have the smell, and some older hybrid teas also.
The thorns are there for the protection of the rose. They keep big things from eating them, cows, deer, etc. And there are thornless roses, yellow Lady Banks climber for one, and I have a red species rose with no thorns.

Answer 3

thorns.. Gods way of balancing the universe? and yes, it is a natural defense
as for the smell.. it gets bred out with hybridizing for certain characteristics.. like color... hybridizers are breeding for certain things.. like a particular color or size or shape or disease resistance.. when doing this, they breed out other things like fragrance
the same has been done with all of our fruits and veges (except the heirloom varieties) if you'd compare the natural to what we are now used to seeing in the grocery stores, you'd see quite a difference... in making our fruit and veges look better, we've lost the flavors

Answer 4

many plants have thorns...it's their defense...

roses would not be the same without thorns, don't you think ? it's part of their legend...

as for the smell, it depends on the variety...