The Rose

is regarded as the "queen of flowers", and symbolizes Mary, the Queen of Heaven.  A universal symbol of love, its color, lovely form and fragrance, as well as its thorns signify Mary's role in salvation history as the Mother of God.  Her Son, Our Savior, was crowned with thorns and shed His blood on the Cross for love of mankind.  The rose, arising from a throny bush, also signifies Mary, the Mystical Rose, "our fallen Nature's solitary boast", who alone of the human race was conceived without sin.  The petals of the spiritual roses perceived to rise from the lips of those praying the Aves and Paters of the Rosary (as the origin of the name "Rosary" is, of course, the rose).