Which flower gives the perfume ingredient called attar of roses?

The flower traditionally used to produce attar of roses is the Damask rose.

The Damask rose is Rosa × damascena, a fragrant hybrid rose prized for its petals. Its essential oil is obtained from freshly harvested flowers, traditionally through steam distillation. The resulting rose otto, or rose attar, is a classic perfume material with a rich, sweet floral scent.

Damask roses have a long association with the Middle East and the eastern Mediterranean. They are commercially cultivated in places including Bulgaria’s Valley of Roses, Turkey’s Isparta region and parts of Iran. Harvesting is labor-intensive because the flowers are usually picked by hand early in the morning, when their fragrance is strongest.

“Rose oil,” “rose otto,” “rose absolute” and “rose water” are related but not identical products. The Damask rose is also used in foods, teas and cosmetics, and its petals contribute to rose water and preserves such as gulkand.