World's First Blue Roses After 20 Years of Research

(Photo by Koichi Kamoshida/Getty Images AsiaPac)

The world's first 'blue roses' developed by Japanese brewer Suntory is on display during the annual Flower Expo held at Makuhari Messe November 1, 2008 in Tokyo, Japan. Suntory Blue Roses Approved Under Bio-Diversity Law and new blue roses and plants to launch sales in 2009.

The creation of blue roses – long thought to be impossible – was masterminded by an Australian-based subsidiary of Suntory, a Japanese company.

The firm has invested three billion yen in the creation of blue roses, blue carnations and other blue flowers since 1990.

Its scientists successfully pioneered implanting the gene that produces Delphinidin, the primary plant pigment that produces a blue hue but is not found naturally in roses.

The world's first genetically modified blue roses were created in the laboratory four years ago, although further research was required to make them safe to grow in nature.

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