The American Rose Society defines miniature roses are roses that are smaller in bush, foliage and bloom size. They range from the “micros” with blooms as small as 1/4 inch in diameter to larger minis.
Miniature roses are true roses, bred to stay small in size. Most mini roses also have smaller flowers than standard rose bushes, but they come in a variety of types and colors. Despite their small size, miniature roses are extremely hardy. In fact they are more winter hardy than most tea roses. Miniatures also tend to be profuse repeat bloomers.
First bred and released in 1973, miniflora roses resulted from crossing true miniature-type roses with standard rose shrubs. Originally, the name was written as “mini-flora” and trademarked by the inventor, J. Benjamin Williams. In 1999, the American Rose Society officially gave these plants a classification and with Williams donating the trademark name to the society, the name was simplified to miniflora.
| Rose | Type | Color | ARS Rating | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bees Knees | mini | yellow blend | 8.3 | * |
| Gourmet Popcorn | mini | white | 8.5 | |
| Irresitable | mini | white | 8.7 | |
| Joy | mini | pink blend | 8.0 | # * |
| Petit Pink | mini | pink blend | 8.6 | |
| Soroptimist Intl | mini | pink blend | 8.2 | |
| Tammy Clemons | miniflora | med red | 7.7 | |
| Whirlaway | miniflora | white | 8.0 |
Notes:
* – The rose is an American Rose Society Members’ Choice winner
# – The rose was an American Rose Society Award of Excellence winner