Rose, General

Rosaceae

How many plant enthusiasts and gardeners remember a parent's or grandparent's love of roses? At GardenZeus, we are in agreement with those who consider the rose to be the queen of all flowers, with its unmatched heritage, history of cultivation, and cultural significance around the world. GardenZeus expert Darren Butler dares even to suggest that the rose is among the flowers that possess a magical ability to restore one's faith in the essential beauty of the universe. The rose invites enthusiasm and lifelong dedication from millions of gardeners for its beauty, fragrance, color, and endless variety of cultivars.

Species count for roses remains a controversial topic and varies significantly among standard reference works and experts, but generally falls within the range of 100 to 150, with more than 13,000 registered cultivars. Even grouping roses by type for purposes of gardening is a controversial topic; they are often grouped into several categories that include the majority of popular garden roses by growth habit and/or taxonomic group. Popular groupings or classes of roses include climbing, shrub or landscape, floribunda, polyantha, hybrid tea, grandiflora, miniature, and groundcover. Exact distinctions tend to be blurred among some of the classes of roses, particularly with shrub roses, which category serves as a default for all modern roses that don't fit into another class.

Roses may be usefully grouped into three categories by their history of cultivation: "old roses," "old garden roses," or "heritage roses," are those that were in cultivation before 1867; "modern roses" are those introduced after 1867, the year that La France, the first hybrid tea rose, was introduced; and lastly the "species roses" and "species cultivars," which are wild roses and their cultivars.

Our general rose information is intended to provide basic guidelines and information to help gardeners succeed with a range of popular rose varieties, and does not apply to all types and species. Hardiness, heat tolerance, price, watering needs, vigor, and many other characteristics vary among rose species and cultivars. The general information provided by GardenZeus applies to many appropriate varieties for your zone (see our specific recommendations by zone), and should not be considered applicable to all rose varieties or used outside the context of our specific recommendations by zone. Our cultivation information, tips, and tasks are not designed to assist with growing roses for exhibition.

Rose Types:
Climbing or climber roses grow long stems that are well-suited to training onto trellises, arbors, fences, walls, and other garden structures, but beware, even roses designated as climbers lack tendrils or any other natural means of attaching themselves to support; for this, they rely on gardeners. Climbers vary in size and vigor. Most are repeat bloomers.

Shrub or landscape roses are a diverse, catch-all group. Once the forgotten stepchild of rose classes, in recent decades many new varieties of shrub roses have made them one of the most dynamic and exciting classes. Shrub roses include most of the well-known name-brand roses, such as David Austin’s English Roses and Knock Out Roses, and others that don’t fit neatly into any other category, such as hybrid rugosas and hybrid musks. Shrub roses bred by David Austin (often called “English Roses”) combine the old garden rose shape, form and fragrance, but are repeat bloomers available in colors spanning the modern spectrum. Generally, shrub roses make healthy and reliable garden plants that require less fertilizer or soil amendment and are often less of concern with pests and disease than other classes. They are often used in group or mass landscape plantings and as hedges. It is important to keep in mind that each particular type of shrub rose has different cultural needs. The beautiful David Austin roses that grace the covers of many gardening magazines are bred for the comparatively cool, moist climate of England; most underperform or become problematic in many areas of California, particularly in dry, Mediterranean areas with hot summers.

Floribundas are relatively easy to maintain and are reliable bloomers in a variety of climates, which make them excellent garden roses both generally and for enthusiasts. They typically grow from about 2.5 to 4 feet and tend to bloom constantly in large clusters of informally grouped flowers, whereas hybrid teas tend to bloom in flushes every four to six weeks. Some floribunda varieties produce clusters of blooms that resemble miniature hybrid-tea flowers. Floribundas are appreciated for their ability to bear flowers in large clusters with multiple blooms in full flower at any given time, and often for providing massive, colorful, long-lasting displays.

Polyanthas are bushy plants often used in group or mass plantings and hedges, generally smaller than floribundas, that produce clusters of small blooms. The best polyanthas produce extravagant clusters of luxuriously dainty blooms.

When the average person thinks of a rose flower, chances are that he or she is thinking of a hybrid tea rose. Hybrid tea roses adorn greeting cards and are the focal or primary flowers in many a florist arrangement. If you want to grow cut roses for floral arrangements, no other class of rose will be as useful. Hybrid teas bloom profusely in the spring, then somewhat regularly about every 4 to 6 weeks thereafter, often in lovely flushes at the ends or tops of stems. They almost beg for planting in formal, highly maintained if not manicured gardens and landscapes, and tend to look out of place in informal or naturalistic settings. GardenZeus recommends that before you dedicate space in your garden to hybrid teas, you also consider disadvantages they may provide as garden plants. Hybrid teas tend to develop awkward and sometimes leggy stem structure with thick, thorny stems and with minimal lower foliage that can reduce their attractiveness. They generally require significantly more soil amendments and fertilizers than other rose classes, which means more work and expense. Their high need for nutrients may present challenges to gardening organically or without chemical fertilizers, and may be an obstacle to maintaining the healthiest possible living soil in nearby garden areas. Perhaps most importantly, hybrid teas are notoriously problematic with common foliar diseases such as mildew, rust and blackspot; for this reason, GardenZeus particularly discourages planting hybrid teas in coastal and humid areas. If you grow hybrid teas, GardenZeus recommends selecting varieties that offer more compact growth and better disease resistance while still producing exceptional flowers for cutting.

Grandifloras generally grow to 6 to 8 feet in height, larger than either hybrid teas or floribundas. They most often produce singly, but are more likely than hybrid teas to produce flowers in clusters. Like hybrid teas, they tend to be susceptible to pests and diseases; and also like hybrid teas, they often suffer from a stiff upright structure, and a leggy lower stem structure that may be bare or lacking in foliage.

Miniature roses are those defined as having blooms smaller than 1.5 inches in diameter, and in most cases botanically are smaller floribundas. While their leaves and blooms may be small, individual plants sometimes grow larger than some might expect, up to 3 feet or more in height, into the range of their larger-bloomed floribunda relatives. Few garden flowers can match the delicate loveliness of miniature rose buds and blooms.

Groundcover roses have a low, spreading habit. Most are repeat bloomers without scent.

“Old garden roses” is the class of roses that existed prior to 1867, the year the first hybrid tea, “La France,” was introduced. Most are fantastically fragrant, and most bloom only once annually, but what a show it is after energy has been stored up during the rest of the year. In their single blooming period, many old garden roses will produce more blooms than repeat bloomers do throughout an entire year. The many old-rose subclasses including albas, damasks, gallicas, moss, noisettes, ramblers, portlands, bourbons and hybrid perpetuals.