Guy Barter, chief horticulturist at the UK’s Royal Horticultural Society agrees. “Black roses and black flowers in general are seldom pure black but rather a very deep maroon or, as in this case, a very very dark red,” he says.
But while denizens of the internet have called Halfeti’s roses fakes, Barter adds a word of caution. “Deep maroon or dark red flowers are black enough for all practical purposes and only very picky people would carp about what are lovely and intriguing flowers,” he says.
It’s thought that the dark color is due to Halfeti’s unique soil conditions.
Although most roses are grafted onto common root stock, which prefers a neutral balance between acidity and alkalinity, Marriott says that it’s possible that Halfeti’s farmers might use the roses’ original roots, which could survive better in acidic conditions that darken the petals.
“It must be due to the climate conditions here,” says Birsen Aşağı, who works at the Floating Gift Shop, which sells black rose products. Locals like Aşağı offer a host of black rose-infused products, from ice creams to soaps and teas, while international brands have also capitalized on the flower’s allure. British perfumier Penhaligon’s has even named its black rose fragrance “Halfeti.”
Explaining the significance of the dark rose, Aşağı shares a local legend. The story begins with Adir, a renowned local architect, who was said to have built the city’s mosque. His granddaughter, Vartuhi, is said to have grown the most beautiful roses in the region. She fell in love with an orphaned boy from across the river named Firat but, tragically, their love was forbidden by her grandfather. Heartbroken, the pair leapt into the Euphrates together and drowned. According to legend, from that day onwards every single rose in Halfeti bloomed “black,” instead of red.
Yildirim tells a different tale, in which the black rose belonged to the Devil, who, upset by the murder of an innocent girl, declared that it would bloom only in the place where she died — forever acting as a symbol of sorrow, revenge and tragic love.
History on the water
Visitors to Halfeti can also take an hour-long boat trip along the river to the nearby Rumkale Fortress — an ancient site that reflects the region’s complex and often turbulent history.
By boat, the fortress’ foundations can be seen dramatically overhanging the river.They reportedly date back to the Byzantine empire in the 5th and 6th centuries CE, though some sources suggest that earlier structures may have existed on the site.
On foot, visitors can explore remnants of Armenian fortifications built during the 12th and 13th centuries, when Rumkale became the residence of the Catholicos, the spiritual leader of the Armenian Church. The fortress later fell to the Mamluks, a powerful Islamic knightly class, in 1292, before being taken over by the Ottoman empire over two centuries later.
Rumkale’s impressive architecture acts as a striking reminder of the whole region’s layered, complex and often bloody history — one which has left its mark on local religion and culture.
In 2013, Halfeti was recognized as part of the Cittaslow (“slow city”) network, honoring its commitment to a high quality of life through preserving its local culture and traditions. “People in Halfeti feel a deep connection to their town’s rich history,” says Yildirim.
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