This is a rose that can get to multiple times the described height, see the notes on my 11' tall, ten month old speciman with its photo, grown in my zone 10a garden. I'd like to hear from anyone growing this just how big it can get.
I'd give the foliage a 9.5 out of 10, it does have a little tiny bit of fresh mildew now, but didn't have any at all until July - around here really susceptible roses like 'Tea Rambler' will have mildew in February, 'Mister Lincoln' by April, and by July only the most resistant roses are mildew free -- less than 10% of my cultivars don't get any. Though our property is on the continental side of the Santa Monica Mountains, it is on the floor of a pass and gets the marine layer almost every night - in a normal year it doesn't stay long enough to give the gift of mildew from mid-July to mid-January, but this year I have roses like 'Climbing General McArthur', 'Peace' and 'Don Juan' still choking on the stuff! During the day, temps arrive to within 5° or 6°F of typical San Fernando Valley highs,
Can't pass judgement on what flowering is like yet.
See the photo of the one at Ruston's Roses. Since then it has covered the Silver Moon almost completely- I'd say it was 20', 6m, up the tree, and perhaps twice that in width.
Kit, I did that with 'Secret Garden Musk Climber'. It was gorgeous and very happy, but, it would have smothered the citrus tree to death had it let it.
Add the fact that it snagged me every time I walk by and eventually it had to go. Some of these roses require real space and a lot of patience.
I got mine last year and it grows pretty well; it looks like as small climber as I have to train it. As it was raining a lot in May and June in Switzerland, it was a disaster for the flowers; they ball and could open at all, so I couldn’t see a complete opened flower... I'll try to change its place, more near the house where it is protected from the rain. It should be a remontant rose, so I hope I will have the chance to see the flowers this year! Does anyone have experience in growing this rose in Europe?
Hi, Gerd. I am looking forward to pictures, especially botanical details of the buds and foliage. There is some thought that Maria Leonida and Alba Odorata in commerce are the same rose. What you describe is typical of what we call Alba Odorata. But in a dry, hot location such as California's Sierra Nevada foothills, it excels. We still find Alba Odorata in old cemeteries, guarding the graves of early pioneers. If you look at the photos of Alba Odorata, you will see my shots of some botanical details and Jeri Jenning's shot of an old plant in a cemetery.
Indeed, the photo of Amiroses seems to correspond to the semi-double bloom description for 'Maria Leonida', while the other two are very full. Tschanz has both listed in their catalogue. I wonder where they see the differences.
The foliage of our Alba Odorata has always reminded me of R. laevigata in the way the leaflets stand up. It will be interesting to see if there are indeed two roses and not one, and which is which!
Hi Cass, thank you for your reply. I will post some botanical details pictures very soon, as you're right, mine looks more like alba odorata. I hope, I'll get some flowers to compare with too! I got mine Rose Loubert in France, so will see. Greatings from Switzerland to all of you, Gerd
