The Dozen Enduring, Fragrant Rose Varieties

All of this spraying is too much and too expensive for most gardeners. However, the time, effort and expense are quickly recouped when picking that perfect rose for a precious child or loved one. The look in their eyes pays the bills many times over! Most of us would enjoy rose growing much more if we could find rose varieties which would yield blooms yet did not require constant spraying. This is possible. There are roses which do not need spraying to survive. Infection of these rose varieties with black spot fungus and powdery mildew (white powder-like substance) on their leaves WILL OCCUR when conditions are favorable for disease. Although the leaves are infected and damaged because of a lack of judicious spraying, some rose varieties WILL survive and WILL produce an abundance of quality flowers.

The list of recommended roses is not drawn from the old-fashioned or antique roses. We were misled into believing that because antique roses are old they are disease resistant. Many of the antique roses can survive without pesticide sprays. However, the quality of bloom, especially for cut flowers, produced cannot equal and are not acceptable to most rose growers. If someone is going to grow roses, they want the flower produced to resemble that which most people consider to be a rose.

The following list of most survivable large flowered or cut-flower roses is derived after carefully examining recommendations from several sources which actually field tested varieties. The most definitive evaluation was from the Burden Research Plantation Rose Garden in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. More than 350 of the hybrid tea rose varieties were not sprayed for insects or disease for several years. In August, 1991, Greg Grant (Research and Development Horticulturist for Lone Star Growers in San Antonio) rated what had survived. The following were the best of the survivors. A high correlation of survivability of varieties exists between the Louisiana test and other similar tests from Texas and across the U.S. The SURVIVABLE-WITH-LITTLE- PESTICIDES roses include:

AMERICA -- CLIMBING rose; Bud ovoid (egg shaped) and pointed; Flower SALMON COLOR; reverse lighter, double flower (43 pedals), imbricated, medium (3-4 inch); Very Fragrant.

APRICOT NECTAR -- Bud ovoid (egg shaped); Flower PINK APRICOT COLOR, base golden, double, cupped, large (4 inch); Very Fragrant (fruity); Foliage glossy, dark; Growth vigorous and bushy. All American Rose Society Award, 1966.

BELINDA'S ROSE -- Bud pointed. Flower ROSE PINK COLOR, double; Very Fragrant; Foliage dark and bluish green; Growth vigorous, upright and compact. This rose is available from nurseries which specialize in antique roses.

CHRYSLER IMPERIAL -- Bud long, pointed; Flower DEEP RED COLOR, double (45 pedals), high-centered, large (5 inch); VERY fragrant; Foliage dark, semi-glossy; Growth is vigorous and compact. All American Rose Society Award 1953.

DON JUAN -- CLIMBING or PILLARING(self supporting) rose; Bud ovoid (egg shaped); Flower VELVETY DARK RED COLOR, double (35 petals), cupped, large (5 inch); Very Fragrant; Foliage dark, glossy, leathery; 8 feet tall.

DOUBLE DELIGHT -- Bud long, pointed to urn-shaped; Flower CREAMY WHITE BECOMING STRAWBERRY-RED, double bloom (40 petals), high centered, large (5 inch); Fragrant (spicy); Growth upright, spreading, bushy. All American Rose Society Award, 1977; Rose Fragrance Medal, 1986.

FRAGRANT CLOUD -- Bud ovoid; Flower CORAL-RED BECOMING GERANIUM-RED COLOR, double (28 petals), well-formed, large (5 inch); Very Fragrant; Foliage dark, glossy; Growth vigorous and upright; Fragrance Medal 1969.

GOLD MEDAL -- Bud ovoid (egg shaped), long pointed; Flower DEEP GOLDEN YELLOW SOMETIMES FLESHED ORANGE COLOR, double (38 pedals), classic shape, opening formal, spiraled; Fragrance (light tea); Foliage large, dark; Growth tall, upright, bushy.

MISTER LINCOLN -- Bud urn-shaped; Flower DARK-RED COLOR, double flower (35 pedals), high-centered to cupped, large bloom (5 inch); Very Fragrant; Foliage leathery, dark; Growth vigorous. All American Rose Society Award 1965.

QUEEN ELIZABETH -- Bud pointed; Flower MEDIUM PINK COLOR, double flower (38 petals), high-centered to cupped, large (4 inch) blooms borne singly and in clusters; Fragrant; Foliage dark, glossy, leathery; Growth very vigorous, upright and bushy. All American Rose Society Award, 1955.

PRISTINE -- Bud long; Flower NEAR WHITE, SHADED LIGHT PINK COLOR, double flowered (28 petals), imbricated, large bloom (5 inch); Slightly Fragrant; Foliage very large and dark; Growth upright

NEW DAWN -- CLIMBING rose; Bud pointed; Flower CAMEO-PINK FADING FLESH WHITE COLOR, double, large; Fragrant; Foliage dark and glossy.