GardenZeus Recommendations for Shrub Rose Varieties in California Zone 13
Shrub roses are among the easiest roses to grow; they are generally disease-resistant and most are prolific repeat bloomers, making them an excellent choice for beginners or gardeners new to roses. They tolerate difficult locations where other rose types might underperform, and have even been used successfully for landscaping public parkways and road mediums in Southern California. They are well-suited for hedges and mass plantings, but also as specimen plants. Some varieties perform well in large pots or containers. They combine well with hybrid tea roses; try planting shrub roses in front of hybrid teas for luxurious bloom combinations while hiding the unattractive hybrid-tea lower stems.
Shrub roses are a diverse group; many are crosses of old roses with modern roses, combining the repeat flowering and color range of modern roses with the fragrance, flower shape, and growth habits of old garden roses.
WHITE
Fair Bianca®. A pure-white rose worth growing just for the strong old-rose fragrance. Produces flat saucer-shaped blooms similar to old Damask roses. To 3 feet tall by 2 feet wide.
Fair Bianca
YELLOW AND GOLD
Morning Has Broken. Named after an old Scottish hymn and folk song. Tolerates heat. Disease resistant. Prolific and repeat blooming. Produces mid-yellow, semi-double, 3.5 inch blooms that change to soft yellow with age. To 4 feet.
Golden Celebration™. Produces beautiful, large, old-fashioned blooms that are an unusual deep rich apricot to golden yellow. Usually borne in clusters. Strong fragrance of tea, citrus, wine and berries. Makes an excellent hedge. To 5 feet tall by 5 feet wide.
Golden Celebration
APRICOT AND ORANGE
Evelyn. This rose bears very large exceptional apricot-colored blooms more shallow than deeply cupped. Wonderful fragrance, similar to an old garden rose, but with fruity tones. Large enough to plant alone. Also try in a large pot or in mass plantings to create an expanse of color. Try pairing with blue flowers. To 4 feet tall by 3 feet wide.
Evelyn
Oranges ’n’ Lemons. Unique, fully double, bright-orange-and-yellow-striped flowers are borne in clusters. A vigorous bush with good disease resistance. Moderate fruit fragrance. Tall arching shape to 10 feet.
Oranges ‘n’ Lemons
RED AND CRIMSON
Robusta. A Rugosa hybrid. Bold, single, true-red, 4-inch blooms grow in voluminous clusters. For use as a specimen plant or as a barrier or hedge. Watch for thorns. Moderately fragrant. In inland valleys, Robusta produces best with shady afternoons and slightly acidic soil. To 6 feet by 6 feet.
Tradescant. Velvety deep-crimson flowers with old-fashioned, quartered-bloom form. Sweet, traditional damask-like fragrance. This variety performs best with afternoon shade to keep its dark petals out of the hot sun. Allow ample spacing for airflow to minimize rust. To 6 to 8 feet.
Tradescent
PINK
The Fairy. A classic and timeless polyantha. A proven performer with a weeping habit that provides a lovely display over a small wall. Produces clusters of small, ruffled, light-pink flowers with a mild apple scent. When in full bloom it is often covered extravagantly from head to toe. Prefers afternoon shade. To 4 feet.
Bonica™. An ideal choice for beginners. Large, fragrant clusters of 2.5-inch soft-pink fully-double blooms grow on curved canes. A lovely continual bloomer, ideal as a specimen plant or in a prominent landscape planting. Makes an excellent a hedge. Produces a secondary display of orange hips in autumn. It tolerates both full sun and part shade. Disease resistant. To 5 feet.
Bonica, Doreen Wynja photographer
Princess Anne. Produces deep-pink, fragrant flowers in clusters. An upright, compact shrub with a long flowering period. Strong tea rose fragrance. Works equally well as a hedge rose or as a companion to taller roses. Disease resistant. To 3 feet tall by 2 feet wide.
Princess Anne
PURPLE
Lovers of all things purple should not be without the free-flowering and vigorous mauve rose, Outta the Blue™. Big clusters of deep wine/purple/mauve blooms change to magenta with shades of blue-lavender. Fragrant with a hint of spicy clove. Mass plantings produce a unique impact in a garden or landscape. To 4 feet. Compliments and contrasts with many other bloom colors. To 5 feet.
Outta the Blue
Munstead Wood. A superb old-fashioned style shrub rose with deep crimson to purple medium-sized blooms. Fabulous old rose fragrance. Disease resistant. To 3 feet.
Munstead Wood