Class: Hybrid China, Hybrid Bourbon, Hybrid Noisette

Mmme. Plantier Photo © The Roseraie at Bayfields used with permission

"These crosses between Chinas, Bourbons, Noisettes, and the old European sorts (Gallicas, etc.) were made initially as an attempt to deal with the lack of hardiness of these new sorts with R. chinensis background. The outcome was quite varied. The results are not absolutely clear, because offspring close to the, say, Gallica parent would be sold as a Gallica, and offspring close to the, say, China parent would find itself sold as a China; thus, many of these hybrids, produced in the 1820's and 1830's primarily, masquerade as something they are not genetically. The important thing, however, is that, due to the laws of genetics, almost the entirety of these are once-bloomers--but often blooming that one time a season with the most extreme profusion and beautiful fragrant flowers. The plants are most often climber-like and of the most extreme vigor, frequently heavily foliated. Novices and others must be careful to distinguish between (once-blooming) Hybrid Chinas and (repeat-blooming) China hybrids; (once-blooming) Hybrid Bourbons and (repeat-blooming) Bourbon hybrids; (once-blooming) Hybrid Noisettes and (repeat-blooming) Noisette hybrids. `George IV', `Belle de Crecy', `Duchesse de Montebello', `Mme. Plantier', `Triomphe de Laffay', `Comtesse de Lacepede', `Las-Cases', `Malton'."
- Brent C. Dickerson odinthor@csulb.edu, author, "The Old Rose Advisor"

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