I recently spoke with a customer who was fascinated by our Hybrid Tea Roses. She mentioned how amazed she was by the variety of roses she could use to make tea. Initially, I thought she was referring to rose hips, but she clarified that in her culture, rose petals are used for tea. This sparked a thought about the term “Hybrid Tea” and where it actually comes from, something I hadn’t considered deeply in all my years of gardening. So, I decided to delve into the origin of this name.
It turns out that “Tea” roses have their roots in China, dating back centuries. The name originates from the fact that the fragrance of these early roses was reminiscent of the aroma of brewing tea. These original tea roses were characterized by larger, shrub-like forms with substantial flowers, but they had weak stems, causing the blooms to droop.
Hybrid Tea Roses: The Classic Bloom
In 1867, France’s Guillot introduced ‘La France’, a rose that marked the beginning of the Hybrid Tea class. ‘La France’ was notable for its intense fragrance and large, full blooms, setting a new standard for roses. When most gardeners envision roses, they are often picturing Hybrid Teas. These roses are celebrated for their long, elegant stems, making them ideal for cut flowers and bouquets. Typically, Hybrid Teas grow to a height of 4 to 5 feet and, like most roses, thrive in full sunlight. They are the quintessential rose, often chosen for their beauty and classic rose shape.
Floribunda Roses: Abundance in Clusters
The term “floribunda” was first popularized by Jackson and Perkins in the early 20th century. Floribundas are a result of crossing polyantha roses with tea roses. These roses are generally smaller shrubs, reaching about 3 to 4 feet in height, and are known for their “abundance of floras,” or flowers. Floribunda blooms can be single or double and come in a wide spectrum of colors. Varieties like ‘Playboy’ and ‘Sun Sprite’ (a notable early yellow bloomer) are popular examples. Many gardeners appreciate the simpler, single forms of floribundas, as they are more accessible to pollinators, adding ecological value to their beauty.
Grandiflora Roses: The Tall and Stately
The grandiflora rose is a robust hybrid, a cross between floribunda and hybrid tea roses. Grandifloras combine the best traits of both parent types, featuring large blooms that appear in clusters on long stems, which also makes them excellent for cutting. ‘Queen Elizabeth’ was the first grandiflora rose developed and remains a popular choice. It’s a sturdy, tall plant, growing to 6 to 7 feet, adorned with numerous pink blossoms. Think of “grand blooms” to remember the grandiflora – they offer both size and quantity.
Beyond these types, the rose family extends to climbing roses, landscape roses, and ground cover roses, each suited for different garden designs and purposes. Climbing roses require structures like trellises, while landscape roses are hardy, shrub-like, and bloom throughout summer (though often with less fragrance, with ‘At Last’ being a notable exception). Ground cover roses are similar to landscape roses but are more compact and low-growing.
Returning to the idea of rose tea, it’s interesting to note that herbal teas, or “tisanes,” made from rose petals are indeed a refreshing beverage. Making rose petal tea is quite simple: pour boiling water over a quantity of rose petals and let it steep for a few minutes. Popular additions include lemon verbena or mint. If you decide to try rose petal tea, always ensure that your rose petals are pesticide-free. Here’s to the multifaceted world of roses!
