Magazine  (17 Jan 1925)  Page(s) 35-6.  Includes photo(s).
 
Some Roses for the Wild Garden by E. H. Wilson.
Rosa Helenæ.
Of the half dozen and more musk roses of China, Rosa Helenae has proved the hardiest of those introduced into Western gardens. It is an exceedingly common rose in the mountains of Central China, its blossoms perfuming the countryside in June. It is a strong grower with arching canes from 6 feet to 12 feet long, plenteously armed with stout, hooked pricklles.The leaves are from seven to nine foliolate, deep green above, grey-green below, sharply toothed and glabrous except on the petioles and principal nerves on the lower surface. Along the full length of stout canes short shoots are developed, each terminating in a large, rounded cluster of pure white, delightfulfully fragrant flowers, which are followed by orange to red, ovoid to obovoid hips The individual flowers are about 1½ inches across with a cluster of conspicuous yellow stamens and are sigularly beautiful.
In rocky places from river level to elevation of 5,000, this rose is abundant in Western Hupeh and Eastern Szechuan, but it has not yet been reported from farther west. In wayside thickets and on the banks of streams it forms dense masses often 20 feet high and as much through, and on the margins of woods entangles and drapes small trees.
At the Arnold Arboretum, it is quite hardy, withstanding as much as 45º of frost. On limestone soil at Rochester New York, it thrives even better than around Boston Mass. The author's appreciation of the musk rose may be gauged from the fact that it is named after his wife.                                                                                                               

Website/Catalog  (1924)  Page(s) 32.  
 
Rosa Wilson.- Nombreuses fleurs blanches simples.
[no longer listed in the 1926 catalogue]
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Website/Catalog  (1924)  Page(s) 32.  
 
Helenœ.- Nombreuses petites fleurs simples blanches.

Book  (1916)  Page(s) 39.  
 
In "New Arnold Arboretum Roses," E. H. Wilson describes Rosa helenae:
[R. Helenae ] has proved perfectly hardy in the Arnold Arboretum. Raised from seeds collected in central China in 1907, this rose flowered with us for the first time in 1913. The plants are now 5 to 8 feet tall and more in diameter, with arching stems, and in late June were covered with masses of pure white and delightfully fragrant flowers. The flowers are about 1½ inches in diameter and the stamens are golden yellow; the foliage is light green, of good size, and of much substance.