Floribunda Roses

With a name that reflects their profusion of flowers, floribundas are the product of a cross between a hybrid tea and a polyantha. They are generally hardier, lower growing, and bushier than hybrid teas, making them a perfect choice for landscaping. They're at their best when used in hedges, borders, or mass plantings, since they are floriferous and fast to repeat their bloom. Some have flowers with high-centered, hybrid tea form, while others have decorative, flatter or cup-shaped blooms. Although some produce flowers one to a stem, most floribundas bloom in sprays. Most flowers are single (5 to 12 petals) or semi-double (13 to 25 petals), with a few double (25 to 45 petals) and very double (over 45 petals) varieties.

Even as individual blossoms, these flowers can be impressive, ranging up to 5 in (12.7cm) in diameter in the largest cultivars. More commonly, though, they range from 3 to 4 1/2 in (7.62 - 11.4cm) across, and there are some small-blossomed floribundas whose flowers measure no more than 1 1/2 - 2 1/2 in (3.8 - 5.1cm). Even the smaller-flowered floribundas are showstoppers when in full bloom.

Although they have the hybrid teas' ever blooming habit, they bear their flowers on neater, more rounded shrubs, and they also tend to be more cold tolerant. In general, floribundas perform well across the United States and southern Canada. They prefer the dry climate of the West, however, and are a better choice for the Southwest than the Southeast.

'Anabell' Roses (Introduced - 1972)

The fragrant, showy, 3- to 4-inch blooms of 'Anabell' rose are rich orange-salmon blended with silver; flowers have 30 petals and a classic hybrid tea rose shape. They bloom all summer in large sprays, on neat and tidy plants that grow 2 to 3 feet high. Plants are disease resistant and winter hardy.

'Angel Face' Roses (Introduced - 1968)

The pointed buds of 'Angel Face' open to 4-inch double flowers whose ruffled, lavender-mauve petals surround golden stamens. Cup-shaped or flat, the flowers are produced almost continuously throughout the growing season in sprays that include all stages of bloom from bud to fully open. They have a strong, fruity fragrance and are well displayed against lustrous dark green foliage. They are outstanding as cut flowers.
Growing only 2 to 3 feet, 'Angel Face' is dense and compact with a somewhat spreading habit, making it useful as a low hedge or in beds and borders. Although plants are fairly disease resistant, they can be troubled by black spot and mildew in some areas.

'Apricot Nectar' Roses (Introduced - 1965)

The cup-shaped flowers of 'Apricot Nectar' appear in clusters of three or more throughout the growing season. The double 4- to 4 1/2 -inch blooms are an exotic blend of apricot and pink with golden centers. Their fruity, apricot like fragrance is intense. The leaves are dark green, leathery, and glossy.
Plants are very vigorous, bushy, and compact. Their extended flowering display makes them useful in beds or borders, singly or massed. Although resistant to some diseases, they are susceptible to black spot.

'Betty Prior' Roses (Introduced - 1938)

One of the first floribunda hybrids, 'Betty Prior' has maintained its popularity with its abundant clusters of fragrant, bright pink flowers. Single rounds of five petals, these blooms look like large dogwood blossoms, and they show off well against the glossy foliage. The simplicity of the flowers helps this rose to blend easily with perennials and annuals in a mixed border. 'Betty Prior' also works well as a foundation planting or hedge. Because this rose is disease resistant, the foliage typically remains unmarred by fungal infections. A heavy and reliable rebloomer, 'Betty Prior' is also outstandingly cold hardy for a floribunda.

'Brown Velvet' Roses (Introduced - 1982)

This is one of the few roses that the American Rose Society has classified as russet. This unique color results from an orange base with a purplish cast that therefore appears to be brown. Flowers 2  1/2 to 3 inches across have 35 petals and a slight fragrance, and appear in small sprays. The decorative blooms consist of a rounded mass of ruffled petals. The disease-resistant foliage is dark green, on 4-foot plants.

'Cathedral' Roses (Introduced - 1975)

Dedicated as a fundraiser for the tenth anniversary of the rebuilding of England's war-torn Coventry Cathedral, this rose has high-centered flowers of dark apricot to orange, blending into a touch of yellow. The slightly fragrant blooms are waxy, with 18 to 24 petals, and open to 3 to 4 inches across. Plants are bushy and 3 1/2 to 4 feet tall, with shiny olive to dark green foliage.

'Cherish' Roses (Introduced - 1980)

The 3- to 4-inch double blossoms of 'Cherish' rose put out a light cinnamon fragrance and appear over a lengthy season. Borne both singly and in clusters of up to 20, the high-centered flowers are coral-apricot with a creamy white base. The spiraled buds open slowly, and the flowers are extremely long-lasting. New leaves are bronze red, turning very dark green and glossy with age.
The compact, symmetrical habit of the bush is somewhat spreading, making 'Cherish' an appropriate choice for beds and borders. This rose can also be used as a low hedge. Flowers are exceptional for cutting. Added to the long list of the rose's virtues are good disease resistance and hardiness.

'Class Act' Roses (Introduced - 1989)

The long, pointed buds of 'Class Act' rose open into informal flowers of pure, bright white. The blooms, which have 20 to 25 petals and are 3 to 4 inches across, have a light fruity fragrance and may appear singly or in sprays. The 3- to 5-foot plants are naturally bushy and rounded, filled with dark green leaves that have excellent disease resistance. 'Class Act' rose is quite winter hardy as well.

'Escapade' Roses (Introduced - 1967)

The simple pink flowers of this rose, earn with a white eye at its center, bear a familial resemblance to those of 'Betty Prior' but are fuller, with more petals, and they have a definite perfume. 'Escapade' is also a reliable and generous rebloomer and a good source of cut flowers. Vigorous, hardy, and healthy, this rose has clean, glossy, light green foliage and a graceful spreading profile. This rose can serve as a landscape shrub, a foundation planting, or a low hedge, and it blends easily into a mixed border of flowers and other shrubs. This rose also makes excellent material for a flowering hedge.

'Europeana' Roses (Introduced - 1963)

If red roses -true reds -are what you prefer, this is the floribunda for you. The flowers of 'Europeana' are large (up to 3 in [7 .6cm ] in diameter), full, and a clear crimson in color - just the thing to cut and give to someone special. Best of all, these blossoms are borne in natural bouquets, large clusters garnished with glossy, bronze-green foliage.
'Europeana' is as close to truly ever blooming as you will find in a rose. If planted en masse in formal beds, as it often is, this shrub can be overwhelming when in full bloom. A more sophisticated effect can be achieved by setting plants out singly as a foundation planting, an accent in a flower border, or a container plant. If bold statements are your style, plant an informal hedge of 'Europeana'.
This rose is not immune to fungal diseases, so be sure to plant it in an open, sunny spot, and leave space around it for the air to circulate and blow away disease spores.

'Fashion' Roses (Introduced - 1949)

Oval, deep peach buds open into lively coral-peachy pink flowers with 20 to 25 petals and a sweet fragrance. The 3 1/2-inch blooms appear in large sprays on vigorous, 3-foot plants. This variety has found its way into the parentage of many of today's floribundas.

'Fire King' Roses (Introduced - 1959)

Oval buds open into sprays of fiery scarlet to orange-red very double flowers with 50 petals. High-centered when they first open, the flowers finish flat and 2 1/2 inches across. Blooms have a musky fragrance, and the foliage is dark green and leathery. Plants are bushy and 4 to 5 feet high. This rose has good winter hardiness but is somewhat mildew prone.

'First Edition' Roses (Introduced - 1976)

The pointed coral-orange buds of 'First Edition' open to luminous coral-rose blossoms with orange tints. The petals surround yellow anthers. Flowers are double, 2 to 2 1/2 inches across, and lightly fragrant, and they are borne in flat-topped clusters. Their color deepens in cool weather. Foliage is glossy and medium green.
The bushes are vigorous and upright. They are suited to many uses, including beds and borders, low hedges, and containers. Flowers are excellent for cutting and exhibition, and the plants have good disease resistance.

'French Lace' Roses (Introduced - 1980)

This is a somewhat tender rose and is not reliably winter hardy. In the milder climates of the Mid-Atlantic coast and the upper Southeast, however, 'French Lace' is a star.
Certainly, the flowers are spectacular. Double, pale apricot to creamy white, they have the elegant form of a classic hybrid tea. But the floribunda shows through in the flowers' abundance, for they appear in generous clusters of up to 12 blooms.

'Gene Boerner' Roses (Introduced - 1969)

A classic among floribundas, 'Gene Boerner' bears large, medium pink flowers with the look of a hybrid tea, but they are denser, with 35 petals per bloom; this gives the blossoms a voluptuous beauty when fully open. This rose has an unusually tall and slender profile for a floribunda, making it an excellent choice for a narrow border space or a small backyard. This rose is also exceptionally tolerant of heat and humidity. 'Gene Boerner' is utterly reliable even in central Texas, a region where intensely hot and humid summers are hard on floribundas.

'Gruss an Aachen' Roses (Introduced - 1909)

Buds of 'Gruss an Aachen' are tinted with red-orange and yellow but open to reveal pale apricot-pink blooms that fade to creamy white. The flowers, reminiscent of old garden roses, are 3 inches across, double, and cup shaped, with a rich fragrance. They are borne in clusters throughout the season. Leaves are rich green and leathery.
This rose has a low growing, bushy habit and is very free blooming, even in partial shade. This rose is a good choice for a bed or low hedge. The plants are quite hardy and disease resistant.

'Hannah Gordon' Roses (Introduced - 1983)

The large double flowers of 'Hannah Gordon' are white with bold cerise-pink markings and petal edges. Each bloom has about 35 petals and a light fragrance. Flowers appear continuously throughout the season. The foliage is large, medium green, and semi-glossy.
Plants are upright, compact, and bushy. They are useful in beds and borders, can be very effective when massed, and also do nicely when used as a low hedge.

'Iceberg' Roses (Introduced - 1958)

One of the most cold tolerant of the floribundas, this rose also performs well in the South, though a slight susceptibility to blackspot makes it less than an ideal choice for the Southeast. In the drier Southwest, however, 'Iceberg' is one of the half dozen roses he recommends most highly as both easy and rewarding. Wherever you garden, the abundance and beauty of its blooms are likely to make 'Iceberg' irresistible. The double (30 petals), 3 in (7 .6cm) flowers are pure white, very fragrant, and held in clusters above the semi- glossy, light green foliage. 'Iceberg' makes an excellent plant for a winter-hardy hedge that will continue to bloom from late spring to fall -and into the winter in the South.

'Impatient' Roses (Introduced - 1984)

This variety's name was intended to imply that the plant was impatient to rebloom, but gardeners have found that they grow impatient waiting for it, as its repeat interval is long. The high-centered, slightly fragrant flowers are bright orange with a yellow base. The 3-inch blooms with 20 to 30 petals appear singly or in small sprays. Very thorny canes are covered with semi-glossy dark green to mahogany leaves that resist disease. Plants grow 2 to 3 1/2 feet tall.

'Independence' Roses (Introduced - 1951)

The brilliant orange-red blossoms of 'Independence' make a dramatic contrast to the bronze-purple color of the new growth, and the 4 1/2 in (11cm) fragrant double flowers continue to show up well against the dark, glossy green of the mature leaves. Although the flowering may be more intermittent than that of other floribundas, this rose mounts a fine display when it does bloom, bearing its large and shapely blossoms in bunches of as many as 10 per cluster. The provenance of this rose is significant. This rose was bred by the German nurseryman Wilhelm Kordes, a master rosarian whose name is synonymous with hardy and healthy shrubs.

'Intrigue' Roses (Introduced - 1984)

Intriguing it is, for there are few roses with this medium purple to plum color overcast with gray. The strongly fragrant blooms start out high-centered, then open into decorative ruffled flowers 3 inches across that have 20 petals. Shiny medium to dark green foliage covers thorny canes. The compact plants grow only 1 to 2 feet tall, making this variety good for edging. Blooming does not repeat very quickly.

'Ivory Fashion' Roses (Introduced - 1958)

The long-lasting, creamy white flowers of 'Ivory Fashion' rose begin as rounded buds suffused with yellow and peach. These open into flat, fragrant 3 1/2- to 4-inch flowers with 15 to 18 petals that bloom in sprays all summer. Plants grow 3 1/2 to 4 feet tall, with leathery, medium green, semi-glossy foliage on almost thornless canes.

'Koricole' Roses (Introduced - 1985)

Borne in clusters, the blooms of 'Koricole' rose are large and lightly fragrant. Each double blossom has about 35 white petals with pink edges. Flowers bloom on short stems throughout the growing season. Leaves are large, dark green, and semi-glossy.
The bushy, upright plants are easy to grow and are excellent for beds and borders. Their long-lasting and prolific flower display and their low growing habit make them ideal for placement in front of taller, leggy roses.

'Little Darling' Roses (Introduced - 1956)

A blend of yellow and salmon-pink, the flowers of this rose are both little and darling, although the plant can grow quite large and spreading. Blooms are a perfect hybrid tea form when they first unfold, finishing in an open, cupped form 2 to 2 1/2 inches across. They have 24 to 30 petals and appear in small sprays on arching stems. Plants grow 3 to 4 feet tall; pruning to an inward-facing bud will help keep the plant compact. Leaves are dark green, leathery and glossy, and have better-than-average disease resistance. 'Little Darling' rose is also very winter hardy.

'Liverpool Echo' Roses (Introduced - 1971)

Named for an English newspaper, 'Liverpool Echo' has soft salmon, slightly fragrant flowers with 23 petals that open into a high-centered form. The reverse sides of the petals have a hint of pale yellow. As the blooms continue to mature, they open into 4-inch flowers. The disease-resistant, light green leaves cover a 5-foot plant. Sprays can be quite large, but after the first bloom the plant tends to produce 6- to 8-foot canes that do not flower.

'Ma Perkins' Roses (Introduced - 1952)

A vigorous, compact bush, this rose is as exciting now as it was when it first appeared on the market almost half a century ago. Its flowers are unusual for a floribunda: shell pink flushed with apricot and cream, they are deeply cupped, more like those of an old-time Bourbon rose in form than a typical floribunda. The blossoms are also fragrant, a virtue that is lacking in many other floribunda roses.
The foliage of this rose is a deep, glossy green, and the shrub itself though vigorous, is compact. 'Ma Perkins' makes a useful accent for a border, an excellent container plant, and a handsome flowering hedge.

'Margaret Merrill' Roses (Introduced - 1978)

Considered by some to be the perfect floribunda, 'Margaret Merrill' has large, fragrant, blush white double flowers (28 petals ), which begin as hybrid tea-type buds and open very wide, singly and in clusters. These blossoms, which measure 4 in (10cm) across, are unusually large for a floribunda and powerfully fragrant, with a perfume that has been compared to citrus and spice. Although this rose shows some susceptibility to blackspot, it performs well even in a humid climate and is especially valuable as a source of cut flowers.

'Marina' Roses (Introduced - 1974)

Long, pointed buds open into 3-inch, high-centered flowers of bright orange-red with a yellow base. The flowers, which have 35 to 40 petals, are delicately fragrant and bloom in sprays on long stems good for cutting. The leathery leaves are dark green and glossy. 'Marina' rose is one of the few roses that grows as well in a greenhouse as it does in the garden. However, this rose is somewhat winter tender.

'Matador' Roses (Introduced - 1972)

Evoking the excitement of a bullfight, the flowers of 'Matador' rose are flashing scarlet and orange with a golden yellow reverse. The flower is called 'Esther O'Farim' in Europe for a German singer who was a favorite of the introducer. 'Matador' rose has high-centered, slightly fragrant blooms with 25 to 30 petals that open to 2 to 3 1/2 inches across. Ideal for containers and mass plantings, 'Matador' rose has dark green, leathery foliage on a 2- to 3-foot plant.

'Nearly Wild' Roses (Introduced - 1941)

A Rhode Island couple, Josephine and Walter Brownell, were pioneers in the quest for easy roses. Early in this century, at their nursery in Little Compton, they began intentionally breeding for cold-hardy, disease-resistant roses. 'Nearly Wild', one of their later creations, is also one of their most successful. Like many of the Brownell roses, this one counts the hardy memorial rose, Rosa wichuraiana, among its ancestors, and it has inherited that rose's toughness. Yet 'Nearly Wild' makes a neat, bushy shrub. Its five-petaled flowers have the simplicity of a species rose, as the name suggests, but they are fully 2 in (5cm) across and borne in clusters of 15 to 25 throughout the season.
'Nearly Wild' has shown a slight susceptibility to blackspot. Its compact size makes this rose a good choice for a small garden, and it fits easily into a flower border or container planting.

'Orangeade' Roses (Introduced - 1959)

The slightly fragrant, 2 1/2-inch flowers of 'Orangeade' rose have 12 to 15 petals of pure, clear, bright orange accented by bright yellow stamens. The sprays are large, airy, and long lasting. The rounded, 3-foot plants have sparse, dark green foliage that needs extra protection from mildew.

'Permanent Wave' Roses (Introduced - 1935)

This variety is a sport of 'Else Poulsen', the first floribunda, which has single flowers of bright rose-pink. 'Permanent Wave', so named because its petals are highly ruffled (unlike those of 'Else Poulsen'), is also single, with about 10 petals, but its flowers are a bright deep pink to carmine-red. The 2- to 2 1/2-inch flowers bloom in small sprays and have a slight fragrance. This plant is so vigorous and prolific that when in bloom it appears to be covered with flowers. The foliage is dark green and shiny; the bushy plant is 4 to 5 feet high and winter hardy, but susceptible to mildew.

'Playboy' Roses (Introduced - 1976)

The burgundy-bronze buds of 'Playboy' rose open to display large flowers that are a vivid blend of orange, yellow, and scarlet. Each 3 1/2-inch bloom has seven to 10 petals and a yellow eye. Borne in clusters, the flowers are delightfully fragrant and appear all season. In fall, spent blooms produce attractive hips. Foliage is dark and glossy.
'Playboy' is aggressive and easy to grow. The bushes are useful in beds and borders, and the long-stemmed flower sprays are long-lasting both in the garden and when cut for indoor arrangements. This rose is disease resistant and tolerates partial shade.

'Playgirl' Roses (Introduced - 1986)

The counterpart of 'Playboy' rose shows off an endless display of 5- to 7-petaled, hot pink, 3 1/2-inch flowers that appear in large sprays and have a light fragrance. The abundant blooms are set off by dark green leaves. Plants are rounded, growing 3 to 4 feet high.

'Pleasure' Roses (Introduced - 1988)

Two- to 4-inch, ruffled, well-formed flowers are coral-pink flushed with salmon. Sprays have slightly fragrant flowers and are good for cutting because they have long stems and long-lasting flowers. Don't hold back- they quickly bloom again. Foliage is medium green and very disease resistant on 2- to 4-foot plants.

'Regensberg' Roses (Introduced - 1979)

White at the base, each petal of 'Regensberg' rose is brushed with hot to dusty pink in various intensities. The 3-inch flowers have 20 to 25 petals and a sweet apple fragrance. Perfect for borders or containers, 'Regensberg' grows only about 2 feet tall and is very compact. This rose is one of the so-called Hand-Painted series of Sam McGredy IV, because each flower on the plant has slightly different shading.

'Sarabande' Roses (Introduced - 1959)

Named for a stately antique court dance, this lightly fragrant rose has enormous flat sprays of luminous, 3- to 4-inch flowers with 8 to 14 petals. The color is a bright to burnt orange, punctuated by bright yellow stamens. Plants are rounded and 2 to 3 feet high.

'Saratoga' Roses (Introduced - 1963)

This rose was named in honor of the New York State race track, and early advertisements pictured it with a glass horse. Its white blooms may be either slightly high centered or decorative, and appear in large sprays. Strongly sweet scented, the flowers have 30 to 35 petals and open to 4 inches across. Hardy, spreading plants grow 2 to 3 1/2 feet tall, with leathery, glossy light green foliage.

'Sea Pearl' Roses (Introduced - 1964)

Buds of pastel pink open into 4 1/2-inch, 24-petaled flowers of pearly pink diffused with peach and yellow: Bushy plants are about 5 feet tall, usually producing one bloom per stem instead of the typical floribunda spray. The foliage is dark green and disease resistant.

'Sexy Rexy'' Roses (Introduced - 1984)

The 2 1/2- to 3 1/2-inch double flowers of 'Sexy Rexy' are carried in large clusters throughout the season. Each mildly fragrant blossom is composed of 40 or more medium to light pink petals. Flowers flatten as they mature. The abundant small leaves are light green and glossy.
This free-flowering rose is vigorous and bushy. This rose is effective in beds with perennials or in front of taller roses, where it can cover leggy stems. This rose also makes an attractive low hedge. Plants are very disease resistant.

'Showbiz' Roses (Introduced - 1981)

The short, pointed buds of 'Showbiz' open to 2 1/2- to 3- inch scarlet flowers. Blooming in large sprays, they are double and loosely cupped, with ruffled petals and bright yellow stamens, and have a slight fragrance. The abundant leaves are dark green and glossy.
This rose is bushy, low, and compact. A fine contribution to beds and borders with its boldly colored blooms and rich foliage, it also can be planted in numbers as an attractive low hedge or mass planting. The flowers are good for cutting, and plants are disease resistant.

'Simplicity' Roses (Introduced - 1979)

The 3- to 4-inch semi-double flowers of 'Simplicity' are borne in clusters. Each blossom is cupped or flattened, with 18 medium pink petals surrounding yellow stamens that darken with age. Flowers bear little fragrance. Foliage is a fresh light to medium green and is semi-glossy.
Bushy and dense with graceful, arching canes, 'Simplicity' is an excellent choice for a hedge; when first introduced it was even marketed as a "living fence." This rose also works well in beds and borders, and the flowers are good for cutting. Plants are disease resistant.

'Spartan ' Roses (Introduced - 1955)

Pointed burnt orange buds open into high-centered flowers colored orange-red to reddish coral. The highly fragrant blooms, which are borne singly or in sprays, have 30 petals and are 3 1/2 inches across. Stems are long and good for cutting, and the vigorous 3- to 4-foot plants are covered with shiny, leathery, dark green leaves.

'Sun Flare' Roses (Introduced - 1981)

One of this rose's parents, 'Sunsprite', was a famous and popular rose. 'Sun flare' shares its parent's healthy, vigorous constitution, and the offspring's flowers are even more handsome.
Its buds have the pointed, scrolled form of the hybrid teas, and they open into broad, luminous yellow, double blossoms with a distinct scent of licorice. Borne in clusters of up to a dozen, the blossoms appear consistently throughout the season.

'Summer Fashion' Roses (Introduced - 1985)

This variety could as well have been a hybrid tea, for its flowers have perfect high-centered form and appear singly or in small sprays. Petals are light yellow edged in pink, with the pink spreading and darkening as the bloom matures. The sweetly fragrant, 3- to 5-inch flowers have 35 petals. Foliage is large, medium green and semi-glossy, on 2 1/2 - to 3-foot plants.

'Summer Snow' Roses (Introduced - 1938)

'Summer Snow' rose represents the unique case in which a bush rose sported from a climber ('Climbing Summer Snow') rather than vice versa. The 2 1/2 - to 3- foot plants produce large sprays of creamy pointed buds and snowy white blossoms. Flowers repeat quickly against light green leaves, making this variety good for mass plantings. The 2 1/2 - to 3-inch flowers have 20 to 25 petals and a slight tea fragrance.

'Sunsprite' Roses (Introduced - 1977)

The high-centered oval buds of 'Sunsprite' open to deep yellow flowers. Appearing in clusters of five or more, the blossoms are double, each with about 28 petals, and are richly scented. Flowers are borne continuously throughout the season. Foliage is light green and glossy.
This rose has a compact, upright habit. This rose is suitable for use in beds and borders, where its low growth neatly covers the base of taller, leggier plants. Its flowers are excellent for cutting and exhibition. This rose is disease resistant.

'Sweet Vivien' Roses (Introduced - 1961)

Oval buds open into slightly fragrant, 3-inch flowers with 17 petals. Flowers are pink with light yellow centers, and bloom in sprays on medium length stems. The disease-resistant foliage is small leafed, dark green, and glossy on compact, slightly spreading 2-foot plants.

'Trumpeter' Roses (Introduced - 1977)

'Trumpeter' rose has brilliant, long-lasting orange to scarlet flowers with 35 to 40 ruffled petals and a mild fragrance. The glossy green foliage is quite disease resistant, covering bushy, compact, 2- to 3-foot plants. This is an excellent variety for mass plantings and landscape color

'Vogue' Roses (Introduced - 1951)

Still popular after many years, 'Vogue' rose has high-centered flowers of medium to deep coral-pink. The slightly fragrant blooms have 25 petals and open to 2  1/2 to 3 1/2 inches wide, in very large sprays. Medium green, semi-glossy leaves cover bushy, 4- to 5-foot plants that are prone to black spot but very winter hardy.