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'Rosa X odorata gigantea' rose Reviews & Comments
Discussion id : 107-518
most recent 21 JAN 18 HIDE POSTS
 
Initial post 19 JAN 18 by Andrew from Dolton
Graham Stuart Thomas. CLIMBING ROSES OLD & NEW, published 1965. Aldine Press, Letchworth, Herts.
p.93-4
R. gigantea, 'the giant rose' -- we might say the queen, the empress of wild roses -- ascends in nature to a height of 40 feet or more by means of its strong shoots and hooked prickles, with large elegant drooping leaves and great lemon-white silky flowers 5 inches across. They have lent their poise and length of petal, their texture and their fragrance, to the Old Tea roses of the last century, which became merged with the Hybrid Teas and are now seldom seen. It is scarcely surprising that this luxuriant inhabitant of south-west China and upper Burma, where the monsoon spends itself in the mountains, should not be taken kindly to the British climate. We can perhaps give it the rain it needs, but not the sun's ripening power, and in consequence its sappy stems get cut by the autumn frosts, and really cold winters will raze it to the ground or kill it outright. In greenhouses and on the Riviera the tale is different, and superb blooms have been picked under glass. For some years Mrs Nigel Law grew large plants in the open in her garden at Chalfont St Peter, Buckinghamshire, but they were killed in a cold winter; they flowered well in warm summers. There are records in the 1939 Annual of the National Rose Society, page 177, of its growing and flowering well in such varied districts as Chepstow, Monmouthshire; Hinckley, Leicestershire; Hayward's Heath, Sussex and in Suffolk. It is evidently worth trying in sheltered gardens.
    This regal rose was introduced from the Far East in 1888; there appears to be more than one form in cultivation in this country: a white flowered plant with rather small leaves and a much larger plant with large leaves and large lemon-white flowers. The former grows well on a sunny wall at the John Innes Institute, Hertfordshire; the latter was my first introduction to this species when it flowered in the corridor of the greenhouse range at the University Botanic Garden, Cambridge, in 1929. An account of this particular form is in The New Flora and Silva, vol. i. The smaller type would appear to be more hardy, but could certainly not be called 'regal'. It is possible that the larger type may be that which Collet called 'macrocarpa'.
    We must, I am afraid, write this rose off as a garden plant for general use in England. But if what Dr Hurst called his 'Four Stud Chinas' -- or at least two of them -- were descended from the China Rose and this species, it has had a profound influence on modern rose-breeding. 'Park's Yellow Tea-Scented China' in particular, and 'Hume's Blush Tea-Scented China' are both looked upon as of gigantean derivation, if only on account of their scent. They were, presumably, old roses in China before being bought over here. These China hybrids produced flowers throughout the summer and autumn, and R. gigantean gave them what yellow colouring they had, together with long petals and a silky texture.
    All this and more is fully explained in my two earlier books on roses. Here we are concerned with climbing roses, and unfortunately these two 'Stud Chinas' became linked with a species of the Musk Rose Section, and gave several roses of diverse characters which later became known as Tea-Noisettes or Climbing Teas.
    It has been stated that the fragrance of the Tea Rose resembles that of the Tea plant (Thea sinensis), but I have not found this so. On the other hand , several of them smell exactly like a freshly opened packet of gentle China tea -- not the fully 'tarry' quality but 'slightly tarry'. This delicate and delicious aroma is found in several roses, one of the best known being 'Lady Hillingdon' and another 'Paul Lédé'.
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Reply #1 of 1 posted 21 JAN 18 by Patricia Routley
Thanks Andrew.
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Discussion id : 93-160
most recent 3 JUN 16 HIDE POSTS
 
Initial post 3 JUN 16 by Girija and Viru
Dr William McNamara of the Quarry Hill Botanical Garden California has successfully botanised in the Shan Hills Burma and found R, gigantea there
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Discussion id : 81-692
most recent 15 NOV 14 HIDE POSTS
 
Initial post 15 NOV 14 by CybeRose
Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, Volume 28: 1-10 (1891)
On a Collection of Plants from Upper Burma and the Shan States
Brigadier-General H. Collett

p. 6
Only two species of Rosa were seen, and both are new. The beautiful R. gigantea is particularly conspicuous, climbing over tall forest trees, from the top of which the long pendent branches, covered with very large white flowers, hang down in rich profusion. This rose, which has larger flowers probably than any other wild species, is seen from considerable distances in the jungle, reminding one more of a large-flowered clematis than of a rose. Though apparently spread over the whole Shan hills, and extending to Muneypore in the north, where it was previously found by Dr. George Watt, it is only locally abundant, chiefly in dark shady valleys. It is most nearly allied to R. indica, which has recently been found wild in China, and is perhaps only a fine variety of that species. Vigorous young plants, raised from seed collected by myself, are now flourishing in Kew Gardens.

The other new rose, Rosa Colleltii, Crépin, is less common; but where it occurs it grows vigorously and is a profuse flowerer. It is never found far from water, and seems to prefer the banks of streams, where I have found it growing almost to the exclusion of other suffruticose vegetation.
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Discussion id : 69-379
most recent 12 JAN 13 HIDE POSTS
 
Initial post 12 JAN 13 by raingreen
The rose breeder Franceschi found that Rosa gigantea bloomed "all winter" in his observations of blooming times of ornamental species in the article

Franceschi, F. (1911). Behavior of Alien Plants At Santa Barbara, with Special Regard to their Naturalization and Phenological Phases. J of Heredity 6 (1): 446-454.

The rose breeder Virarghavan comments on rosa gigantea in his HMF ezine article

Viraraghavan, Girija and Viru. 2012. The Rose In India: Past, Present and Future Part III. HMF ezine article.

"Coming to R. gigantea, it is a giant, not only in the flower – 15cms. across, but in its growth. It can reach up to 25metres. I have many plants clambering up my very tall cypress trees. The flowers of the Indian form are creamy yellow rather than white which inspired the discoverer, Sir George Watt, to describe them as looking like golden magnolias, when seen from a distance, climbing through trees. It also has the unique feature of flowering in peak winter. Hybrids with this, which should flower in winter, will be a big help for the cut-flower growers in warm climates who would be able to cater for Christmas, New Year and St Valentine's celebrations.

Show slides of R.gigantea)

Fortunately gigantea is easier to work with, because its genes are to be found in the background of modern roses. The high centered form of Hybrid Teas is a direct inheritance from R. gigantea, as is evident even in the first generation hybrids. This apart, to quote Jack Harkness, 'as these roses embody 6 great virtues – health, beauty, vigor, scent, good foliage and remontancy, further direct use seems worthwhile'."

Is there any way these references can be uploaded for Rosa gigantea?

I can send pdf of first article//who do I send to?

Thanks,

Nate
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