Class: China

Old Blush Photo © Barrie Collins (www.barriecollins.net) used with permission

"Chinas--selectively bred from R. chinensis--had been grown in Chinese gardens long before the Occident knew anything about them. The agent of their first appearance in the West is under some dispute, with claims being made for Sweden, Britain, and Italy. A pink form and a red form entered commerce in the West in the 1790's, and breeding quickly got underway, particularly in France and, to some degree, Italy. The reasons for their quick popularity were primarily their continuous bloom and, at least initially, the then-current rage for things Oriental. Their main difficulty was their lack of cold-hardiness. Chinas typically make, bushy, twiggy plants, often quite irregular in outline, and range in color from deepest red and maroon through pink to white. Some hybridized with the Teas show warm tones of yellow, saffron, salmon, and orange. The China group has long been considered a refuge for "decoratives" as opposed to exhibition roses; cultivars of Tea parentage which did not show the blossom-form expected of Teas would be offered as Chinas. `Cramoisi Superieur', `Parsons' Pink China', `Eugene de Beauharnais', `Archiduc Charles', `Ducher', `Nemesis', `Mme. Eugene Resal', `Arethusa', and the green rose `Viridiflora'."
- Brent C. Dickerson odinthor@csulb.edu, author, "The Old Rose Advisor" (See Hybrids)


China Roses are seminal in the evolution of garden roses since they offer remontancy and double blooms. In addition they are tough, able to withstand heat, indifferent and alkaline soil conditions and high humidity (China roses' petals have a silky appearance and open well in high humidity, rarely balling). They are exceptional Southern roses. Chinas may range from small bushes to large climbers. (Zone 6)

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