Does not seem to have ever "made" it across the seas, otherwise, despite its issues (and there are many) it is in my opinion a candidate for the World Favorite Rose Hall of Fame. This one defined an era. The size of the bloom, the form, it ushered in the 1970's and set the bar against which so many "good" varieties seemed to be "downgraded" because they were not hardcore exhibition potential. The blooms are so big and generally so perfectly formed that the plant seems to have no resources left to produce new basals or for the matter, LEAVES. It grows open and wide and rangey and is horrifically thorny, the petals spot in the rain, it mildews badly and is in my garden, 6a Columbus, is in the "worse" half regarding blackspot. And nobody ever mentioned way back then that it throws clusters of 3 and 4 more than singles, although every one of those 3 or 4 will be 6 or 7 inches across. I cannot live with it nor without it, any grower who hasn't tried this yet probably should just to see what took the rose community by storm 40 years ago in the US, to understand how "diffferent" and "speaks to what could be the future" can whip itself into marketing hysteria and over-blown ratings via over-looks of serious, chronic weaknesses......
It is no more around now than anything in a body bag or at a big box store. It isn't even really all that available own root. It didn't survive. It DEFINED the 70's and hugely influenced the 80's and now is nothing more than a relic. The ugliest plant you will ever see with blooms that make any grower feel like a show person. A relic that is difficult to grow and owns a truly ugly plant. Heirloom and Love are almost now mainstream! And I can see why. I can see why this one is on the shelf. Makes me feel old and sort of sad.
