Roses from Kelaat M’Gouna

What it is

The rose of Kelaat M’Gouna is exclusively the Rosa damascena variety: a shrub with upright or trailing, usually hairy or prickly stems and pink, highly fragrant flowers.¹ Buds, petals or whole flowers are harvested, and rose water is distilled from the petals.²

In Moroccan Arabic a rose is called werda, werd means roses or the rosebush, and rose water is ma l-werd.³

Where it comes from

The area of both designations of origin covers seven communes in the province of Tinghir: the towns of Kelaat M’Gouna and Boumalne Dades as well as Aït Sedrate Sahel Gharbia, Aït Sedrate Sahel Charkia, Aït Ouassif, Souk Lakhmis Dades and Ighil N’Oumgoun.⁴ Irrigation water comes from the Dades and M’Goun rivers or from wells on their banks.⁵ According to the regional agricultural development office (ORMVA) in Ouarzazate, some 6,000 farmers grow the fragrant rose there; on average they harvest 3,700 tonnes a year, and around 5,000 tonnes were expected for 2026.⁶

History

In 2011 the Ministry of Agriculture recognised the designation of origin “Rose de Kelaat M’Gouna-Dadès”, applied for by the Office régional de mise en valeur agricole de Ouarzazate.⁷ Rose water followed in 2018, applied for by the trade federation Fédération interprofessionnelle marocaine de la rose à parfum (FIMAROSE).⁸ Under the Plan Maroc Vert (2011–2020) the crop covered 950 hectares.⁹

How it is made

Planting takes place between November and March in trenches 40 centimetres deep, so densely that a hedge forms from the start; the shrubs flower regularly from the third year.¹⁰ Pruning is done before the end of January, and three to four vigorous shoots are kept per stool.¹¹ Skilled women pickers take the closed or just opened flowers by hand and place them in baskets or in sacks tied around the waist; drying is done quickly in the shade, in a dry, airy and dark place.¹²

Rose water is made by distilling the petals with steam; in the traditional method the petals go with heated water into stills of copper or stainless steel, and the steam condenses into fragrant water and essential oil.¹³ It is bottled in containers of 0.1 to 5 litres, with a best-before period of no more than 24 months.¹⁴

When

Picking takes place early in the morning in April and May.¹⁵ In May, Kelaat M’Gouna hosts the Salon international de la rose à parfum, held for the 60th time in 2025, from 5 to 8 May.¹⁶ The 61st edition ran from 7 to 10 May 2026, organised by the Ministry of Agriculture together with the province of Tinghir.¹⁷

How to recognise it

Rose water with the designation of origin is free of additives, has a pH of 4 to 6 and contains 0.01 to 0.05 per cent essential oil; the label reads “Appellation d’Origine Protégée Eau de rose de Kelaat M’gouna-Dadès” or “AOP Eau de rose de Kelaat M’gouna-Dadès” with the official logo.¹⁸