Blue roses were traditionally created by dyeing white roses, since roses lack a gene to produce delphinidin, the primary plant pigment that produces true blue flowers. So-called "blue roses" have been bred by conventional hybridization methods, but the results, such as "Blue Moon" are more accurately described as lilac in color. However, after thirteen years of joint research by an Australian company Florigene, and Japanese company Suntory, a blue rose was created in 2004 using genetic engineering. The delphinidin gene was cloned from the petunia and inserted into a mauve-blend rose, the Old Garden Rose 'Cardinal de Richelieu' (a Rosa gallica). However, since the pigment cyanidin was still present, the rose was more dark burgundy than true blue. Further work on the rose using RNAi technology to depress the production of cyanidin produced a mauve colored flower, with only trace amounts of cyanidin.

植物开出蓝色花朵的真正原因在于它含有一种产生蓝色翠雀花素的基因，而由于玫瑰不含有这种基因，所以在过去一直是用染色剂将白玫瑰染色的方法来制作蓝玫瑰。所谓的“蓝玫瑰”是由传统的培育方法栽培而成的，例如“蓝月亮”的颜色准确地说就有些偏紫。但是，在经过长达十三年的联合研究之后，澳大利亚弗罗里基因公司和日本三拓力公司终于在2004年用基因工程方法培育出了真正的蓝玫瑰。他们先把矮牵牛花上的蓝色翠雀花素基因克隆到一种叫做“红衣大主教古老花园玫瑰”（一种法国玫瑰）的紫红混色的玫瑰中。但由于花青素依然存在，开出的玫瑰呈现深红色，而不是真正的蓝色。然后他们通过使用RNA信息技术对该品种进行进一步研究，抑制了花青素的产生而获得了一种只带有少许青色痕迹的紫红色玫瑰，并最终研制出了蓝色玫瑰。

Blue roses traditionally signify mystery or attaining the impossible. They are believed to be able to grant the owner youth or grant wishes. This symbolism derives from the rose's meaning in the language of flowers common in Victorian times.

蓝玫瑰传统上代表神秘和超越。人们相信它可以保佑自己年轻，帮助自己实现愿望。这种象征意义来源于维多利亚时期流行的“花语”。

Suntory Ltd. is presently growing test batches of the genetically-modified blue roses in the United States and Australia, according to company spokesman Atsuhito Osaka, but plans to start marketing them in Japan in 2009.

根据三拓力公司发言人阿苏希图.大阪的说法，该公司目前正在美国和澳大利亚对成批的转基因蓝玫瑰进行测试，预计将于2009年在日本上市。