No doubt, roses are the most commonly recognized flower in the world. Its bloom beautiful, fragrant and inviting, and represents love at its deepest. But how well do you know this flower that is desired by many? Read on to learn more interesting and fascinating facts about the best and classic ‘Old Roses’.
Alba Roses
Alba roses comprise a variety of old garden rose native to England and Northern Europe. A natural hybrid between rosa canina and damask rose, they are shrubby plants that can reach up to 9 feet in height. Alba roses are characterized by their fragrant scent, grey-blue green foliages, and large blooms.
They bloom in mid- to late June; the lovely flowers come in white or shades of pink. A popular choice for gardens, alba roses suit well to any given climate condition. Some popular alba rose varieties are: Semi-Plena, Felicite Parmentier, Queen of Denmark, Small Maiden’s Blush, and Celestial.
Damask Rose
The Damask rose (Rosa damascena), a rose hybrid out of Rosa moschata and Rosa gallica that traces its root back to ancient times. They are deciduous shrubs, quite hardy, robust with nasty thorns that can reach 3 to 7 feet in height. The flowers emit perfume-like scent and harvested for rose oil.
There are two known varieties namely: ‘Summer Damask’ roses which blooms only in summer and the ‘Autumn Damasks’ which bloom both summer and autumn. Flowers are known for its 60 petals and comes in light pink to light red. Popular Damask roses include: Madame Hardy, Blush Damask, Celsiana, Ispahan, Madame Zoetmans, and Omar Khayyam
Gallica Roses
One of the oldest species of old roses, Gallica roses (Rosa gallica), are grown by the Persians way back in the 12th century B.C. Indigenous to southern and central Europe, gallica roses are hardy shrubs growing uprightly up to 4 to 5 feet. They bloom once a year with fragrant, clustered flowers in shades of deep pink, white, maroon, purple and/or spotted blossoms. Some of the well-known Gallica roses are: Rosa Mundi, Belle Isis, Charles de Mills, Apothecary’s Rose, Complicata, and Belle de Crecy.
Cabbage Roses
Cabbage rose (Rosa centifolia), comprises about 200 varieties of old rose introduced by Dutch rose breeders between the late 15th and early 17th century. They are hardy and thorny shrubs, reaching to 1.5–2 m tall. They bloom once a year in June, the large, round and fragrant flowers come in shades of white, crimson, pink, or dark red-purple. Examples of Rosa centifolia include: Bullata, Fantin Latour, Chapeau de Napolean, Petite de Hollande, and Village Maid.
Portland Roses
The Portland Rose, known since 1792, is a hybrid rose that resulted from cross-breeding an Autumn Damask Rose and a China rose. They are small and spreading bushy plants growing upright to about 4 feet tall. One of those old roses that repeat blooms, the short-stemmed blooms about 3-4 in in diameter are very fragrant and vary in colors – white, pin, orange, red or purple. Examples of Portland roses: Jacques Cartier, Comte de Chambourd, James Veitch, Rose de Rescht, Indigo, and The Portland Rosee.
Moss Roses
Moss Rose (Portulaca grandflora), is a hybrid rose originating in South America around 1700. They are small, lanky but fast-growing shrubs reaching to 30 cm in height. They have thick leaves and stems covered with sticky moss-like substance, thus the name. They bloom once a year with showy flowers that come in shades of white, pink, yellow, purple, red or orange. Examples of Moss roses: Goethe, Mme Louis Levêque, William Lobb, Henri Martin, Général Kleberg, Mousseline, and Salet.
Bourbon Roses
From Ile de Bourbon in the Indian Ocean, Bourbon roses first showed up in Paris in 1819 and is believed to be a product of cross-breeding a Rosa chinensis and a variety of Rosa damascena. They are vigorous growers that can reach 6 feet in height. Another repeat bloomers, flowers are fragrant varying in color from white, deep red, blush pink, and white stripes. Examples of Bourbon roses: Boubon Queen, Reine Victoria, Louise Odier, Madame Pierre Oger, Boule de Neige, and Souvenier de la Malmaison.
Hybrid Perpetual Roses
A rose breed introduced during the 1800’s, this bloom is the result of cross-breeding China Hybrids and Bourbons. They are typically hardy and erect bushes with large, 40 petals fragrant flowers. Flowers bloom in clusters or singly and in shades of white, pink, carmine or maroon. They flower recurrently, in spring and again in fall. Examples of Hybrid Perpetual roses: Frau Karl Druschki, Ferdinand Pichard, Reine des Violettes, and Baroness Rothschild.
Rugosa Roses
Rosa rugosa are tall, hardy shrubs native to Japan, Korea, China, and Siberia. This erect, leafy, multi-branched with vicious thorns plant can reach 4 to 5 feet in height. Widely planted as ornamental plants, Rugosa rose bloom late spring to early summer. Flowers come in shades of white, pink, and purple. The slightly fragrant flowers vary in petal structure from can single, semi-double, or double. Examples of Rugosa roses: Henry Hudson, Blanc Double de Coubert, Sandy, Sarah van Fleet, Pink Grootendorst, Hansa Fru, and Hansa – Double.
China Roses
The China rose comprises hundreds of hybrid that are cultivated in Chinese gardens as early as the 11th and have reached the West around the late 1700’s. Another old rose type that repeat blooms, they are showy nor very hardy shrubs, but are very adaptable to both drought and humid heat. China roses can reach 2 to 3 feet tall. in height and drought. Flowers are small and come in shades of white, blush pink, dark crimson, orange and green. Examples of China roses: Old Blush China, Hermosa, Fabvier, Mme Laurette Messimy, and Cécile Brünner.
Tea Roses
The predecessor of modern day Hybrid Teas, tea roses is a cross between Rosa chinensis and several species of Bourbons and Noisettes. The breed was introduced to the West in 1810 and 1824 by the British. They are characterized by their glossy leaves, slender stems with few thorns and large, cup-shaped flowers. They bloom nearly year-round from summer to the fall. Flowers vary in colors from The red, warm pink, white, tones of gold, yellow, or orange. Examples of Tea roses: Catherine Mermet, The Bride. Anna Oliver, Duchesse de Brabant, Isabella Sprunt, and Maman Cochet.
Noisette Rose
Noisette rose, a cross between hybrid between ‘Old Blush’ China and Rosa moschata, traces its origin in in North America around 1811. They are excellent climbers with shiny leaves and smooth stems that can reach 20 feet or more in height. Another repeat blooming plant, flowers come in shades of pink, white, yellow or red. Examples of Noisette roses: Mme Alfred Carrière, Bouquet d’Or, and Blush Noisette.
