The King is dead! Long live the King! The old phrase just about sums up the present situation (if you will pardon the mixed gender) concerning the “Queen of Flowers,” the rose.
No matter what transpires, roses are the most popular plants among gardeners and the uninformed public.
Within this broad classification, however, there are changes in the popularity of the various types of roses.
Just after the turn of the century, the hybrid perpetuals gave way to the hybrid tea class. Now the floribundas are taking over as “King” of the rose clan.
Even though all roses are widely planted, many gardeners are hazy about the differences separating the classes.
Hybrid Teas
Hybrid teas are often mistakenly called “tea roses,” which are quite March 1959 things. The true tea roses are big shrubs, rather tender (although less so than is commonly supposed), and unusually disease tolerant.
They bloom over a long period with many large and extremely fragrant flowers. The hybrid teas, long the standby of almost all rose gardens, were actually at first the result of crossbreeding tea roses with hybrid perpetuals. The results were startling.
Well-formed, large, sometimes fragrant blooms on long stems were produced over an extended period by plants that were hardier than the teas and adaptable to a wide range of growing conditions. These are the flowers that laymen think of when they hear the name “rose.”
As hundreds of new varieties were produced over the decades, inbreeding (hybrid tea with hybrid tea) and breeding many exotic species became common.
In some cases, hardiness, disease resistance, and other virtues were lessened, if not lost. Still, hybrid teas held the center of the stage and are today planted by the millions every year.
Early Introduction Of Paquerette
As early as 1875, with the introduction of ‘Paquerette,’ the foundation of a new dynasty was laid. No one at the time recognized the importance of this introduction. The new class was named polyantha (Greek for many-flowered).
This class is characterized by clustered, small blooms, no fragrance, and good hardiness from one of the parents, Rosa multiflora (Latin for many-flowered). The other parent, Rosa chinensis, contributed to continuous blooming and dwarf stature.
Before long, these early hybrids were crossed with other classes and species until the class was no longer indicative of parentage.
Vigorous progeny of such crosses were placed in other groups, and low-growing, cluster-blooming varieties of other breeding were included in the polyantha class.
We still grow a few of the “true” polyantha varieties, including ‘Cameo,’ ‘Margo Koster’ and (to a lesser extent) ‘Orange Triumph.’
Maybe you knew this class by one of its several popular names, such as fairy rose, daisy rose, or even baby rambler.
Eventually, many “outbred” varieties were put in a separate class called hybrid polyantha.
The typical marks of this class are blossoms of better form and larger size, longer stems, and a taller, heavier, and more open habit. However, in this class, ‘Cecile Brunner’ and ‘The Fairy’ are still planted in reasonable numbers.
Polyantha? Floribunda?
Here is where further confusion enters the picture. Some growers and writers use the class names hybrid polyantha and floribunda interchangeably. This is wrong, I think.
Roy Shepherd (an eminent rosarian), in his monumental History of the Rose, states, “A third type, to which J. H. Nicolas (pronounced NICK-o-la) then director of research for the Jackson and Perkins Company, applied the name floribunda, was derived in most instances by crossing the hybrid polyanthus with the hybrid teas.
In general appearance, this type is intermediate between the two parents but slightly favors the latter.
Few of the true polyanthus characteristics are apparent, and whether these roses should be placed with the hybrid polyanthus or hybrid teas or be a distinct class is debatable.
The designation floribunda has considerable commercial value, and although its application to the group has been criticized, the title is appropriate.”
Taxonomist’s Nightmare
Plants of this class may be a taxonomist’s nightmare, but they are just about a gardener’s dream come true. They vary widely in height.
‘Spartan’ grows about 3’ feet high, while ‘Glacier’ is only a bit more than two. ‘Masquerade’ usually tops 5’ feet, with a good spreading habit of growth.
In Massachusetts, I used to grow ‘Betty Prior’ well above six feet, but here at Biltmore in the South, she is only a bit better than four feet. They are, as a group, vigorous. They flower freely, some of them continuously.
The size of the flower cluster has been reduced, but the form and size of the individual bloom have dramatically improved in many cases.
Unfortunately, the hardiness and disease resistance tends to lessen as the influence of the hybrid teas increases.
Floribunda Uses
All in all, the floribunda of today almost epitomizes the desire of the true gardener. That is, floribundas grow vigorously almost anywhere, have a wide color range, and have various growth habits that give almost constant bloom. They are thus excellent landscape plants.
Here their uses are almost endless.
They can, of course, be grown in traditional rose beds, but better than most other types, they also serve in foundation plantings, mixed borders, shrub borders, hedges both high and low, and occasionally, as specimens.
Creators Of Floribundas
No discussion of floribundas is complete without mentioning a few men who made them.
D. T. Poulsen, with help from his two sons, Dines and Svend, has produced a large group of varieties designed to produce a maximum of color with a minimum of care, even in the hard climate of their native Denmark. E. S. (Gene) Boemer, who followed Dr. Nicolas as director of research at Jackson and Perkins, is known to many of us as “Papa Floribunda,” for he has been the leading breeder and protagonist of the class in America.
Holder of more plant patents than any other man in the world. Gene feels that in the floribunda lies the future of roses for all gardeners.
Almost every other rose breeder has had a hand in the development of the class.
Kordes, Lammerts, Leenders, Meilland, Prior, Swim, Tantau, de Ruyter, and Le Grice have all added good varieties in varying numbers.
List Of Notables
All right, you say, you have made your point, but what floribundas should I start with, granting that they are all you say they are?
There is an embarrassingly great number of choices, and any brief list must be a personal one. With that understood, here is a selection.
My one favorite is Betty Prior,’ my “girlfriend” of 20 years standing. Few are as faithful.
Vigorous, rarely out of bloom from late May to November, the blooms are two-toned pink and single. The plants are decidedly disease resistant. This is tops!
If You Like Reds, There Are Many
Baby Blaze,’ ‘Frensham’ and ‘World’s Fair’ are my favorites. ‘The Texan,’ if a floribunda and not a Grandiflora, belongs in this category, too!
Other good ones are ‘Cocorico,’ ‘Improved Lafayette,’ ‘Redcap,’ ‘Wildfire’ and ‘Red Favorite.’ ‘Red Wings’ and ‘Fusilier’ look like comers, too.
In pink ‘Cecile Brunner’ (since 1881), ‘Betsy McCall,’ ‘Else Poulsen’ (tall), ‘Ma Perkins,’ and ‘The Fairy.’
‘Tom Tom’ and ‘Heat Wave’ are newer and show promise.
Whites Need More Good Varieties
‘Irene of Denmark’ is old, as is ‘Dagmar Spath,’ ‘Summer Snow’ is less so, while quite new are ‘White Bouquet’ and ‘Lullaby.’
The last two I haven’t grown, but I look for them to do better than those which I have grown. ‘Ivory
Fashion has been exceptional in tests here at Biltmore, the golden stamens contrasting beautifully with the many white flowers. The fragrance is delectable.
In Yellow, The Situation Is Much Better
‘King Boreas’ is not well known, but it is good. ‘Goldilocks,’ ‘Yellow Pinocchio,’ ‘Gold Cup,’ ‘Golden Fleece,’ and ‘Circus’ (really a blend) will all give a good account of themselves.
‘Green Fire’ (an odd name for a yellow) has shown promise in tests here, so watch it.
Blends Top Varieties
In the “blends” are several top varieties. ‘Fashion,’ ‘Vogue,’ and ‘Spartan’ would be on anyone’s list.
‘Floradora’ grows and blooms well, but I don’t like the “hard” color. ‘Jiminy Cricket,’ ‘Fanfare,’ ‘Little Darling’ (winning awards at a fabulous rate), and ‘Masquerade’ (tall, multicolored, and a blooming fool) must also be taken into account.
Want To Try An Odd Color?
‘Amy Vanderbilt’ is “rather reddish-lilac in the bud, opening lavender,” which you will love or dislike. Unfortunately, there isn’t any middle ground.
Miss Amy frequently blooms on a bush of moderate vigor. It’s a gamble whether you like her, but I do.
There, you have the floribundas! Without a doubt, they are the bright stars in the future of rose growing, for they incorporate, in one diverse group, more of what we, as gardeners, demand of plants than any other class of roses.
44659 by Fred J. Nisbet