New Delhi: Roses, a perennial symbol of love of beauty, are arguably the most popular flowers in the world. They are also among the oldest flowers in the world, with more than 35 million-year-old fossils discovered. Referenced in art and literature for centuries, the oldest known rose is the Rosa gallica or the French Rose, which can be dated back to the 12th century. In 1867, the hybridisation of roses was experimented with, leading to the creation of the first Hybrid Tea rose, ‘La France’. This prompted the creation and introduction of many other hybrid species, such as the abundant floribunda roses. Let us look at some facts about these prolific flowers.
What are floribunda roses?
These resilient flowers are a cross between hybrid tea roses and polyantha roses. This cross endows them with qualities of both flowers—their large size and ability to flower densely. It was created with the idea of a rose that possessed the profusion and floral beauty of the crossed parent flowers.
Floribunda is a Latin term for ‘many flowers’ or ‘flowering freely,’ referring to the plant’s ability to produce clusters or sprays of flowers. Found adorning many gardens, they bloom all through the summer, growing up to 5 feet. These versatile flowers can tolerate a range of climates, remaining hardy till almost -10°C.
They are also resistant to many diseases that often affect plants and are considered low-maintenance compared to other rose species. Regular pruning, adequate sunlight and water, and mild fertilisers are usually enough to maintain these robust roses.
Habitat
Although they are known for their hardiness, floribunda roses are a cross-bred variety not present in the wild. They often grow in public and private gardens and parks in areas with a temperate climate. Floribundas thrive across North America, Europe, Australia, South Africa, China, Japan and parts of India.
History
The first floribunda rose, ‘Rødhætte,’ meaning Red Riding Hood in Danish, was bred by Dines Poulsen in 1912. It was initially known as a Poulsen rose or a Hybrid polyantha. The term ‘floribunda’ was coined by Dr JN Nicolas, a rose hybridiser.
Svend Poulson, Dines’ younger brother, carried forward the breeding practices, and soon the company, Jackson and Perkins, renowned for rose cultivation, began a hybridisation programme led by Eugene Boerner, affectionately known as “Papa Floribunda”.
Between the 1940s and 1970s, he hybridised more than 60 floribundas, creating iconic varieties which remained bestseller roses for many years. Eleven of his flowers received the prestigious All-America Rose Selections (AARS) award. These included Apricot Nectar, Lavender Pinocchio and Masquerade, all known for their vibrant colours and mild fragrance.
Grandiflora roses
Known as ‘Queen Elizabeth’ roses, Grandifloras are hybrids between floribundas and hybrid teas, the latter being a parent flower of the former. This results in grandifloras having larger flowers but less profusion than floribundas and smaller flowers but more abundance than hybrid teas.
Introduced in 1954, this flower was created by horticulturist Walter Lammerts. It has large blooms and long stems and can reach heights up to 7 feet.
These flowers, like floribundas, are easy to care for and may be an ideal addition to your garden!
The floribunda rose is a common flower found in many gardens. But do you know where they grow and how they came into existence? Read on to find out. knowledge Knowledge News, Photos and Videos on General Knowledge
