The world's first natural blue rose showed at the International Flower Exhibition. [Photo: Xinhua/AFP]

The world's first natural blue rose made its debut at the International Flower Exhibition that concluded in Tokyo on November 1.

Cultivated by the Australian branch of a Japanese company, the rose was infused with genes from pansies and was therefore able to grow blue in colour.

Roses were planted some 5,000 years ago, and have been produced in colors such as red, pink, white and yellow. But naturally blue roses were impossible to cultivate since the flower lacked a gene that produces the primary color pigment. Thus far, blue roses that appeared on the market have been created by dyeing white roses.

The new blue roses will be available from next Autumn.