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Classifying Roses

Excerpted From The American Rose, by Stephen Scanniello.

'Queen o' the Lakes' (Photo by Medi Blum, courtesy of Brooklyn Botanic Garden)

Fifteen years ago we were content to group roses into the following seven categories: hybrid teas, floribundas, grandifloras, miniature roses, climbers, old-fashioned roses, and shrub roses (which included anything that didn't fit into one of the other categories). Gardeners today, inspired by the escapades of the rose rustlers, the Heritage Rose Foundation, and the many new rose nurseries specializing in unique roses, have been expanding their horizons, and the number of categories has expanded as well.

One general rule to remember is that a modern rose is a rose that belongs to a classification (such as hybrid tea or floribunda) that has evolved from 1867 on. That is the universally accepted date of the first hybrid tea rose. Old garden roses (also known as antique roses, old-fashioned roses, old roses, even "grandma's roses") are roses that belong to a classification that existed before 1867.

The Basic Rose-Classification System

Old Garden Roses—15 classes:

Species

The wild roses—the source of all other rose varieties. Producing simple, very fragrant flowers once a year in spring, they're carefree, disease resistant, and hardy.

Species
'Austrian Copper' (Photo © Peter K. Nelson)

Gallicas
'Charles De Mills' (Photo © Elizabeth Scholtz)

Gallicas

Descendants of R. gallica, probably the oldest cultivated rose in existence in the West. These are low shrubs, suckering (producing new shoots along the roots), with large, fragrant flowers borne singly or in clusters.

Damasks

Closely related to gallicas but larger and taller, damasks are the most fragrant of the old garden roses, with semidouble or double blooms. 'Autumn Damask' is the only repeat bloomer.

Albas

Believed to be crosses between damask or gallica roses and R. canina, the albas are upright, tall, and vigorous, with sparse prickles, tough leaves, and mostly fully double blooms.

Centifolias

Known as cabbage roses for their globelike flowers. Centifolias may be a cross between 'Autumn Damask' and an alba. They're taller than gallicas, with drooping leaves, prickly stems, and fragrant, nodding flowers.

Moss roses

"Sported" (genetically mutated) from centifolias or damasks, moss roses have drooping foliage and sepals, hips, and flower stalks covered with mossy growth that gives off a pine or resin scent when rubbed.

Chinas

Everblooming roses first discovered in China. Brought in the late 18th century to Europe, where many new cultivars were created. These are the everblooming ancestors of all modern, repeat-blooming roses. Some Chinas are low growing; some have tall canes and can be treated as climbers. Their small flowers usually change from light to dark; they're borne on short stems and have a distinct, light fragrance.

Teas

Very fragrant forms of the China class, with dainty leaves and stems. The first teas were crosses between R. chinensis and R. gigantea.

Noisettes

The original Noisettes were a cross between a China and European rose; they are not very hardy.

Bourbons

The original Bourbon was an accidental hybrid of Chinas and 'Autumn Damask', a repeat-bloomer with larger, fragrant flowers.

Hybrid Chinas

First generation of crosses between Chinas and other rose varieties, developed for larger flowers.

Hybrid Bourbons

First generation of crosses between the original Bourbons and gallicas or damask hybrids, these have various flower colors and growth habits.

Hybrid Noisettes

First generation of crosses between Noisettes and Bourbons, Chinas, and tea roses, with larger flowers.

Portlands

Popular in the early 19th century because of their repeat-blooming flowers.

Hybrid perpetuals

Hybrids of Portland roses, hybrid Chinas, gallicas, and Bourbons, these were very popular in the 19th century. They're very hardy, ranging from sprawling to upright in habit, with fragrant, many-petaled flowers on short stems.

Modern Roses—10 Classes:

Hybrid teas

Very popular modern roses with large flowers on long stems. Hybrid teas bloom often, in a wide range of colors; many are fragrant.

Hybrid teas
'Dainty Bess' (Photo © Peter K. Nelson)

Floribundas
'Fashion' (Photo © Stephen Scanniello)

Floribundas

Originally hybrids between polyanthas and hybrid teas. Floribundas (the name means "cluster-flowered") are hardy, large, shrubby bushes that bloom continuously all summer.

Grandifloras

Originally crosses between hybrid teas and floribundas, with clustered flowers like the floribundas but larger, and with the long stems of hybrid teas. Grandifloras are tall, often over six feet, with masses of color.

Miniatures

Except for the miniature cascading and climbing roses, these grow to just 10 to 18 inches, with proportionately small leaves, stems, and flowers. They're very hardy, and unlike many modern roses, most grow on their own rootstocks.

Climbing roses

No roses have tendrils or other means for climbing on their own, but the climbers have tall canes that with support can be trained to grow upright. Some are everblooming; others bloom just once at the beginning of the season. Ramblers are climbing roses with very pliable canes.

Shrub roses

A catchall category including robust, spreading roses that bloom fairly constantly, some with single flowers, others double.

Polyanthas

Low-growing shrubs with large clusters of small flowers ("polyantha" means "many-flowered"). They grow to about two feet, are extremely hardy, and bloom continuously, though generally with little fragrance.

Hybrid musks

Shrub roses only distantly related to the musk rose. Can tolerate poor growing conditions, such as poor soil and shade. Many set good hips (fruits). Some hybrid musks can be trained as climbers.

Eglantine hybrids

Crosses between the species eglantine rose and hybrid perpetuals, Bourbons, or other roses, these are large, arching shrubs that can reach 10 to 12 feet. They produce early leaves with a spicy apple scent, fragrant blooms borne either singly or in clusters, and bright red hips in autumn.

Rugosa hybrids

Hybrids of hybrid teas and R. rugosa. Some of the hardiest roses, these are very easy-care, disease-resistant roses.

Brooklyn Botantic Garden