Prickly
I love roses. It's easy to be attracted to roses, hard to love them. Roses are particular: they want just the right amount of fertilization; they need frequent watering; they can't be planted close together or in soil vacated by a previous, failed rose; if they're not pruned correctly, they can become as gangly and overgrown as a blackberry bush. And, of course, they have thorns, some of them quite vicious. I have learned the hard way to be careful around roses. The thorns on roses exist for a simple reason: to fend off potential threats. They guarantee that anything larger than a beetle will think twice before attacking a mature rose. Those who wish to enjoy a rose's beauty and aroma in the safety of their own homes must take great care in removing the stem from which the trophy flower bursts forth, or risk punctures which could easily become infected. As particular as roses can be, they're a hardy flower. Other beauties of the plant kingdom last for weeks...