SolveYourProblem
Roses Article Series
What
is a Hybrid Tea Rose?
Hybrids, Teas, Floribundas, Grandifloras—the
world of roses are so vast and confused that even the most
experienced gardener may find himself or herself confused.
So what exactly are hybrid tea roses? Hybrid tea roses are
the result of crossing the Hybrid Perpetual (a European rose)
with the Tea rose from China.
Simply stated, hybrid
tea roses are the roses you see in the florist’s window
in the days following up to Valentine’s Day. Hybrid tea roses are the classic image of rose beauty. They
have large blooms (typically 6 inches in diameter), and usually
only produce one bloom per stem. The bloom unfolds elegantly,
with large velvet petals that spiral out from the center in
mesmerizing layers. Hybrid tea roses are a favorite of gardener’s
who love to cut long-stemmed flowers to put on display. They
are also a favorite of photographers who love to capture the
explosion of petals and colors that hybrid tea roses offer.
Because they are known to flower continuously, hybrid tea roses
are often referred to as ever blooming or monthly roses.
Hybrid tea roses became wildly popular in the middle of the
nineteenth century, when they became “the” rose to have in
the garden. The Victorian Era saw a flurry of experimentation
with cross pollinization among plant breeders, eventually resulting
in the culmination of hybridized tea roses. Victorian Era plant
breeders sought to balance elegance and beauty with perpetual
flowering, and they seemed to achieve this in the propagation
of hybrid tea roses. The Tea rose, admired for its repeated
blooms, was the perfect complement for the Hybrid Perpetual.
The
‘La France’ is generally considered to be the first official
hybrid tea rose, although breeders did not keep accurate records
in those days. A Frenchman popularly referred to as Giullot,
in 1867, discovered it. It is said that his discovery of the
La France was an accident. He was attempting to produce a large
bright yellow rose, but instead produced a rose with silvery-pink
blooms that turned bright pink at the tip of the petals. The
flower was fragrant and very large (nearly 5 inches in diameter)
for its time. The large bloom and dramatic colors of the La
France made it the star of its day.
Hybrid Tea roses continued to grow
in popularity. Their long
‘lollipop’ stems allowed for clear visibility of the bloom
and easy cutting. With their vivid color designs and the elegance
of their unfurling buds, they were perceived as much more dramatic
than previous roses. Perhaps most importantly, hybrid tea roses
produced larger and more frequent blooms.
Today, hybrid tea roses are much more commonly grown for cut
flowers. They are no longer as prominent in landscape settings
as they were during the Victorian Era. However, if you’d like
to add the classic beauty of the hybrid tea rose to your garden,
here are a few tips on choosing the right hybrid tea rose for
you.
Do you want big blooms on long stems that you can arrange
and put on display? Hybrid tea roses are probably for you.
If you’re looking for roses to landscape your home, consider
Grandifloras or climbing roses, instead.
Do
you want a rose that emits a strong fragrance? If this
is the case, hybrid tea roses may not be for you. Hybrid tea
roses usually only give off a faint scent.
Do you want a relatively low-maintenance rose, or are you
willing to water every day in during the hot summer months?
In general, hybrid tea roses require a lot of water, especially
during hot weather. If you’re not prepared to do a lot of watering,
hybrid tea roses may not be your best choice. Also, hybrid
tea roses do not enjoy the company of weeds, so be prepared
to provide proper maintenance.
Can
you deal with thorns? Hybrid tea roses are notorious for
their thorns. If you don’t think you’ll have the patience to
deal with this thorny issue, you might want to reconsider hybrid
tea roses. However, breeders have been able to produce several
thornless varieties of hybrid tea roses. These thornless roses
might be a little more expensive and difficult to find, but
the trouble is most definitely offset by their beauty. # # # # #
SolveYourProblem.com
: 2006
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