Rugosa species and hybrids

Rugosa [Rosa rugosa] are sturdy shrubs;  very healthy and winter hardy.  They are usually identified by their foliage, which is typically bright green and heavy textured with deep veining (rugosa).  Their flowers vary from single to double and most varieties are rather informal in shape.  Most Rugosas produce large, decorative hips that attract and feed birds in the fall and winter.  They are very easy to grow and do well in poor conditions.  One word of caution:  rugosas do not like to be sprayed with chemicals.

Rosa rugosa rubra
Species, OGR.  Natural selection from the species for red, 6X6'.  Large single blooms of deep pink with a purple cast, creamy stamens and a strong fragrance.
Continuous bloom, largest single Rugosa bloom.  Good fall foliage color, excellent set of hips.

Rosa rugosa alba
Species, OGR.  Natural selection from the species for white, 6X6'.  Single white blooms set the standard for all the white Rugosa hybrids.  Creamy stamens,
continuous bloom, orange hips and dense deep green foliage.  Excellent as a tall hedge.

'Hansa'
Rosa x rugosa, Shrub, 1905, 7x7',  Large double, crimson purple blooms, with a spicy fragrance.  It is recurrent, with many large scarlet hips in the Fall.  Works well as a specimen plant.

'Therese Bugnet'
Rosa x Rugosa,  Shrub, 1950, 6x4'.  Medium pink, double blooms, strong fragrance.  An initial flush of bloom is followed by modest summer repeat and a lesser flush at the end.  Gray-green foliage turns deep red in the fall, canes in winter are red.

'Dart's Dash'
Rosa x rugosa, Shrub, Zone 3, 3x3'.  Double, mauve (or blend), recurrent, fragrant.  A small version of 'Hansa' with extra large blooms.

'Henry Hudson'
Rose x rugosa, 'Schneezwerg' seedling, Shrub, 1976, 3x4', zone 2-3.  One of the Explorer Series from Canada.  White, semi double blooms with a spicy clove fragrance.  Wider than high, it makes a good hedge.

'Martin Frobisher'
Rosa x rugosa,  'Schneezwerg' seedling, Shrub, 1968, 5x4'.  Soft pink, light fragrance, good repeat.  No hips, but attractive red canes in winter.

'Hunter'
Rosa x rugosa, Shrub, 1961, 3x4'.  Double, bright crimson, recurrent, slight fragrance.

'Linda Campbell'
Rosa x rugosa,  'Anytime' x R.rugosa 'Magnifica', Shrub, 1990, 3-4'.  Zone 4/5, marginally hardy in favored locations, needs winter protection.  Medium red, semi- double blooms, often in large sprays.  Recurrent, no fragrance.

'Agnes'
Rosa x rugosa.  R.rugosa x R. foetida persiana, Shrub, 1922, 6x6'.  Double, light yellow, once-blooming.

'Belle Poitevine'
Rosa x rugosa.  Parentage unknown, Shrub, 1894, 5x5'.  Large, semi double, rich pink, recurrent blooms.  Large orange-red hips.

'Blanc Double de Coubert'
Rosa x Rugosa.  R. rugosa x 'Sombreuil' (a Climbing Tea), Shrub, 1892, 5x4'.  Pure white, semi-double, recurrent blooms with wonderful fragrance.  Infrequent hips, but good fall color.

Blanda species and hybrids

'Helen Bland'
Rosa x blanda.  Shrubs, 1950, 6-7'.  Rose-pink, semi double, once-blooming, light fragrance.  Vigorous bush with thornless, red canes.

'Betty Bland'
Rosa x blanda.  Shrub, 1925, 6'.  Deep rose-pink, double, once-blooming, light frangrance  Vigorous bush with thornless, red canes.

Glauca species and hybrids

Rosa glauca (Rosa rubrifolia, Red Leaf Rose)
Species, OGR, cultivated prior to 1830, 5', Zone 2.  Flowers are bright pink with white center, 1.5", borne 1-3 together.  Foliage is reddish/glaucous;  hips are small, round, red.  Once-flowering, spring.

Spinosissima (Rosa pimpinellifolia) species and hybrids

All old varieties are hardy to zone 2;  modern ones to zone 4.  The old varieties seldom exceed 5', are lax and spreading in habit with small, fragrant, white or pale pink, sometimes yellow, single to double non-recurrent flowers.  The modern hybrids are often stiff and upright to 8' with single flowers;  some do repeat.

Rose spinosissima altaica
Species. OGR, ca. 1820, 6x6'.  Single, large, white flower, citrus-like fragrance.  More vigorous than Rosa spinosissima species.

Kordesii species and hybrids

A new species that arose in cultivation as a result of spontaneous chromosome doubling in a Rosa rugosa x R. wichuraiana hybrid.

'Champlain'
Rosa kordesii, Shrub, 1982, Zone 4.  Bushy to 3'.  Red, double, continuous blooming, slight fragrance.

'John Davis'
Rosa x kordesii, Shrub, 1986,.  Trailing.  Medium pink, semi-double, recurrent, spicy fragrance.

'Henry Kelsey'
Rosa x kordesii, Shrub, 1984.  Trailing.  Medium red, semi-double, recurrent.  Spicy fragrance.

'William Baffin'
Rosa x kordesii, Shrub, 1983, Zone 2-3.  Trailing.  Semi-double, deep pink;  recurrent.

'John Cabot'
Rosa x kordesii, Shrub, zone 2-3. Semi-double, dark pink or light red;  recurrent.

Foetida species and hybrids

'Harison's Yellow'
Rosa x foetida, OGR, probably Rosa foetida persiana x Rosa spinosissima, ca. 1830.  Bright yellow, semi double, with yellow stamens.  Summer, once-blooming.

 'Austrian Copper Rose'
Rosa foetida bicolor, OGR species, sport of Rosa foetida, prior to 1590.  Orange/copper inside with yellow reverse, single, summer, onceblooming.  Fragrance is sickly sweet.

'Persian Yellow Rose'
Rosa foetida persiana, OGR Species, 1837.  Bright yellow, double, summer, once-blooming.  To many, the fragrance is sickly sweet.

Bibliography