Pure black roses do exist. The roses appear to be completely black, with the signature green stem. Called the Turkish Halfeti Rose, they only grow in exceptionally small numbers in the village of Halfeti, Turkey.
The local Turks seem to enjoy a love-hate relationship with these rare blossoms. They consider the flowers to be symbols of mystery, hope and passion, and also death and bad news. Unfortunately, the black roses of Halfeti are an endangered species. They have been under threat of extinction ever since the residents of the village moved from ‘old Halfeti’ in the 1990s, when the Birecik Dam was constructed.