The era of modem roses was established in 1867 with the introduction of the first hybrid tea, ‘La France’, by the French breeder Guillot. Perhaps the most popular class of modern roses, the hybrid tea is easily recognized by the large shapely blooms containing 30 to 50 petals. Flowers are borne on long stems either singly or with several sidebuds. In 1945, the ‘Peace’ rose heralded the modern era of the elegantly formed hybrid teas. So dramatic was the overwhelming public acceptance and praise accorded this variety that its place in history was instantaneous. By the late 20th century, more than 10,000 hybrid
teas had been bred with great success.
In 1954, the introduction of a rose bred from crossing the hybrid tea ‘Charlotte Armstrong’ with the floribunda. ‘Floradora’ resulted in a carmine-rose and dawn pink variety. It displayed not only the haracteristics of a hybrid tea but also the ability to bear clusters or trusses and grow to a commanding height of 6 to 8 feet or more. To accommodate this variety, the class of grandiflora was born. ‘Queen Elizabeth’ had the distinction of being the very first member of this class.
Excerpted with permission from 2017 American Rose Society Handbook for Selecting Roses, American Rose Society, copyright © 2016.
| Rose | Type | Color | ARS Rating | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bewitched | HT | med pink | 7.8 | @ |
| Cherry Parfait | GR | red blend | 8.0 | |
| Crescendo | HT | pink blend | 7.8 | |
| Dick Clark | GR | red blend | 7.8 | & * |
| Double Delight | HT | red blend | 8.3 | @ |
| Falling in Love | HT | pink blend | 7.6 | |
| Folklore | HT | orange blend | 8.2 | |
| Fragrant Cloud | HT | orange red | 8.1 | |
| Gemini | HT | pink blend | 8.0 | @ * |
| Gold Medal | GR | med yellow | 8.3 | |
| Hot Princess | HT | deep pink | 7.9 | |
| Let Freedom Ring | HT | med red | 8.0 | & |
| Louise Estes | HT | pink blend | 8.3 | & |
| Love & Peace | HT | yellow blend | 7.9 | @ |
| Memorial Day | HT | med pink | 7.9 | @ |
| Mister Lincoln | HT | dark red | 8.3 | @ |
| Moonstone | HT | white | 8.3 | |
| Peace | HT | yellow blend | 8.0 | @ |
| Pope Paul II | HT | white | 7.5 | |
| Queen Elizabeth | GR | med pink | 8.1 | @ |
| St Patrick | HT | yellow blend | 7.9 | @ |
| Touch of Class | HT | orange pink | 8.5 | @ |
| Veterans Honor | HT | dark red | 8.4 |
Notes:
@ – The rose was an All-American Rose Selections winner
* – The rose is an ARS Members’ Choice Winner
& – The rose was an American Rose Center Trial Grounds winner
Click on photo to enlarge.
All photos courtesy of © Weeks Roses.