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The article throws light upon the top five groups of roses. The groups are: 1. Hybrid Tea’s (H.T.) 2. Floribundas 3. Climbers 4. Miniature Roses 5. Shrub Roses.
Group # 1. Hybrid Tea’s (H.T.):
As the name indicates, the varieties of this group have been obtained by crossing between hybrid perpetuals and Tea roses of China. The first variety ‘La France’ of this class was produced by French breeder Guillot (1867). They have characteristics of both parents. These are winter hardy than the tea roses and produce blooms for longer period than Hybrid perpetuals.
Main characteristics of H.T. roses are production of blooms on long canes, elongated buds, slow opening of flowers and good keeping quality. The continuous breeding programme has produced varieties having all possible good characters in self colour and striped coloured varieties. Every year there is an addition of new varieties. There is a wide choice to select the varieties for different purposes in different colours.
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Following are some suitable varieties for different purposes:
I. Bedding Varieties:
These varieties are vigorous growing and free flowering and produce elegant flowers. In different colours.
Following varieties have been found suitable:
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Yellow:
McGredy’s Sunset, Golden Giant, Buccaneer, Vasant, Aalsmeer Gold, Dutch Gold, Fragrant Gold, King’s Ransom.
Orange, Scarlet, Coral and Vermilion:
Montezuma, Super Star, Fragrant Cloud, Queen Fabiola.
Orange Yellow:
Vienna Charm, Chantre, Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Bettina, Kana Kangi.
Pink:
Confidence, Picture, South Seas, Michele Meilland, Mischief, First Prize, Sonia.
Red, Dark Crimson:
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Christian Dior, Ena Harkness, Avon, Crimson Glory, Baccara, Oklahama, Happiness.
Apricot/Bronze, Thais:
Sunset Song, Valencia, Whisky.
Mauve or Lavendar:
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Africa Star, Blue Moon, Sterling Silver, Paradise, Anuraag.
White:
June Bride, Pascali, Tushar.
Bi-colour:
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Bajazzo, Flaming Sunset.
Colour Blend:
American Heritage, Careless Love, Kiss of Fire, Tahiti, Double Delight, Sea Shell.
Striped and Hand Painted:
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Anvil sparks, Careless Love, Siddhartha, Madhosh.
II. Exhibition varieties:
The blooms of these varieties are large, properly shaped and are at the peak of floral perfection.
Following are important varieties:
Anvil Sparks, Avon, Bel Ange, Christian Dior, Eiffel Tower, First Prize, Garden Party, Golden Giant, King’s Ransom, Michele Meilland, Mischief, Montezuma, Pusa Sonia, Show Girl, Sterling Silver, Super Star, Thais, Vienna Charm.
III. Scented varieties:
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These varieties are prized also for their sweet fragrance: Avon, Blue Moon, Crimson Glory, Heart Throb, Kana Kangi, La France, Seventh Heaven, Sugandha, Hadley, General Mac Arthur, and the Doctor.
IV. Commercial varieties:
These varieties are grown for cut flowers e.g., Super Star, Montezuma, Happiness, Ilona, Sonia, Mercedes, Pasadena. The variety Gladiator is very popular among rose growers of Nasik and Pune.
Group # 2. Floribundas:
These have been produced by crossing Hybrid Tea and dwarf polyantha by Danish breeder Poulsen in 1912 and first floribunda was named ‘Rodhatte’. It was in 1924 when impressive varieties like ‘Else Poulsen, and ‘Kirsten Poulsen’ were released and this group got popularity. After that number of varieties has been added every year.
Floribundas possess the characteristics of both parents and produce flowers in clusters like polyantha of better shape and bigger size than the flowers of polyantha but the flowers are smaller than Hybrid Teas. They are produced in great profusion appearing like bouquets.
Following are the important varieties in different colours:
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Red:
Marlena, Gabriella, Rob Roy, Week Jock, Jantar Mantar.
Orange-Scarlet:
Flamenco, Independence, Orangeade, Shola, Zambra, Zorina.
Yellow:
All Gold, Fugitive, Ballena, Sun flare, Gold Bunny.
Pink:
Queen Elizabeth, Else Poulsen, Junior Miss, Loree, Cherish Baby Talk, Mercedes, Belinda.
White:
Iceberg, Himangini, Margret Merril.
Lavendar:
Angel Face, Lavendar Princess, Shocking Blue.
Bi-colour:
Red Gold, Sear Pearl, Court Jester, Fantasia, Sabre, Dance.
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Colour blend/Multi Colour:
Charleston, Banjaran, Bicentennial, Charisma, Madhura, Parfait, Vitul Spark.
Group # 3. Climbers:
These produce long arching canes and need some support to keep them upright. Some of climbers are natural bud sports of hybrid tea roses, so these have similar flowering habit of their parents. These climbers are most suitable for arches, against wall, pillar and produce magnificent effect.
Important varieties are:
Alec’s Red clg—red; Sympathie—red; America—Salmon orange; Fragrant cloud clg—Coral red; Breath of Life—apricot; Compassion—pink; Sonia clg—salmon pink; Marechal Neil—yellow; Golden shower—yellow; Royal Gold—deep yellow; Iceberg clg— white; Swan lake—white; Delhi White Pearl—white; Prosperity—white; Lamarque—white; Angel Face clg—deep Lavendar; Paradise clg—deep Lavendar with ruby petal edge.
Rambler is another class of roses which are different from climbers but have climbing habit. These have been produced by crossing Hybrid perpetuals with R. wichuriana and R. multi-flora. The flowers in ramblers are produced only in one flush during the year but it last for several weeks.
Important varieties are:
American Pillar—red with yellow centre; Excelsa—Tyrian rose to bright light crimson; Sander’s white—white; Dorothy Perkins— pink; Albertine—coppery pink.
Group # 4. Miniature Roses:
These are also called as Baby or Fairy roses. They are neat and compact but dwarf plants. They have long blooming period and least affected by cold weather and diseases. These were introduced from China as Pigmy or Lawrence rose (R. chininsis var. minima syn. R. rouletti). By hybridization, single to double flowers in various colours have been developed.
These are most ideally suited for edging, pots, rockeries or window gardens. These are easily propagated by semi-hard to hard wood cuttings.
Important varieties in different colours are:
Red—Red Flush, Little Red Devil, Desert Charm; Pink—Cupcake, Rosemarin, Cuddles; Orange/vermilion—Sun Blaze, Mary Marshal, Starina, Chattem Centennial; Yellow—Yellow Doll, Summer Butter; White—Cinderella; Green Ice, Misty Dawn; Mauve K. Lavendar—Jewel; Multi colour—Party Girl, Puppy Love, Sun Maid, Rose Window; Bi-colour—Dreamglo, Gloriglo, Sassy Lassy; Cascading miniatures—Orange Cascade, Pink Cascade, Red Cascade, Snow Carpet.
Group # 5. Shrub Roses:
These perpetual flowering roses are taller than bush types but shorter than climbers and provide continuous flowering. These are excellent for an informal layout, specimen, and hedges very useful for the shrubbery.
The important varieties are:
White—Delhi White Pearl, Butterfly Wings; Pink—Carefree Beauty, Pearl Drift; Red—Cocktail, Fountain; Yellow—Lucia.
