Roses are considered to be one of the most beautiful flowers in the world. Despite the thousands of existing varieties, breeders annually produce dozens of new varieties. Among them, the Crocus Rose rose, which has recently appeared, but has already become popular among flower growers. How to care for this variety, what are its features and what domestic gardeners think about Crocus Rose, will be described in this article.
The history of the variety Crocus Rose (Crocus Rose)
Who is David Austin, anyone who professionally grows roses knows. This is a world-famous breeder from Britain specializing in roses. Having founded his own company in 1969, Austin concentrated on the development of new varieties of the so-called English roses, which from the 80s are still considered the best in the world.
In 2000, Mr. Austin introduced the world to a new variety. It was a white rose Crocus Rose, named by its creator in honor of the cancer fund The Crocus Trust. This variety was developed on the basis of the Golden Celebration medalist, previously patented by Austin in 1992.
Other grade names
Soon after the presentation, Crocus Rose became very popular. Outside the UK, gardeners began to give him other names. So, many amateur gardeners are frightened when instead of the ordered rose Crocus Rose they are sent a seedling Emmanuel, although in reality it is the same variety.
It is also sometimes referred to as City of Timaru or the completely dissonant name Ausquest given during registration. Many domestic gardeners call this plant a crocus rose, and sometimes a white (peach, apricot) Austin in honor of its creator.
Rosa Crocus Rose: photo and description
This variety belongs to the class of scrubs (upright shrubs and semi-climbing roses in Russia, called park). Among the informally distinguished types of scrubs, the Crocus Rose rose belongs to the nostalgic group, a subgroup of English roses.
According to the official characteristics of this plant, the height of the bush can reach 1.2 m with a width of not more than 0.9 m. The leaves of the rose have a rich dark green hue and a semi-gloss surface.
As for the flowers, they are small in size - the diameter does not exceed 8 cm. The color of roses varies from white to light peach. The aroma of the flowers is quite saturated, but not sharp, characteristic of most tea-hybrid varieties. Roses on the bushes bloom to brushes, 3-5 pcs. on one brush, due to which during flowering the whole bush is evenly covered with beautiful and fragrant flowers.
Grade Features
Has a number of unusual features of the rose Crocus Rose. Description of the flowers of this variety usually comes down to the fact that they are light peach in color. But in reality this is not entirely true. A feature of this rose is that it gradually changes color.
In the bud stage, the color of the plant is close to peach or apricot. But when the flower begins to blossom, the outer petals lose their former beauty, becoming almost white, and only the middle of the rose retains its original shade. It was because of this feature that David Austin initially wanted to call the variety a white rose, but later changed his mind.
Another feature of Crocus Rose is its resistance to rain and frost. Since the birthplace of the flower is rainy Britain, this is not surprising. Due to the ability of the plant to easily tolerate a temperature drop of -29 degrees, it has taken root in Europe, the CIS and central Russia.
The creator of the variety also positioned Crocus Rose as a plant that can withstand one of the most common fungal diseases of roses - powdery mildew and black spotting.
The optimal place and soil for planting roses of this variety
This variety, despite its small height, has deep roots. Therefore, a plant over the age of 6 years is almost impossible to transplant.
Rose Crocus Rose loves the sun, so when choosing a landing site, it is advisable to find a well-lit place. But it is worth considering that this plant does not tolerate extreme heat (burns may appear on the petals). The best place would be the east or west side of the house, but not the south. By the way, it is worth paying attention to the groundwater in the planned place of planting roses, otherwise the plant will hurt, since the roots of Crocus Rose in depth can reach more than 1 m.
As soil for Crocus Rose, chernozem or loamy soil is best suited. However, the plant must be fertilized periodically.
When using fertilizers, it is important to pay attention to the acidity of the soil. Rosa Crocus Rose loves slightly acidic soil (level 6-6.5). If the acidity is too low, it can be increased by fertilizing the plant with manure or peat. With excessive acidity, it must be reduced to an acceptable level by adding wood ash.
How to plant a crocus rose bush
When planting a Crocus Rose bush, it is better to work together, because, despite the simplicity of the actions performed, it is not easy to do it alone. The pit for the rose bush should be at least 0.7 m deep. A ten-centimeter layer of expanded clay or other drainage material is laid on the bottom, a fertilizer layer is laid on top of the same size (selected according to the acidity of the soil). Next lies the prepared sifted garden soil in which the plant will be planted.
10-20 minutes before planting, the roots of the seedling must be immersed in soil diluted with water, then gently lower the plant into a prepared hole so that the neck of the bush is 3 cm below the ground. While one person keeps the rose bush straight, the second one fills the hole with earth. After planting, the plant is watered under the root. When settling the earth around a seedling, you need to fill it up.
How to Care for Crocus Rose Roses
In order for the rose bush to grow well and bloom, care is needed for it. Once a season, the plant needs to be fertilized. In spring, nitrogen-containing fertilizers should be used, and in summer, potassium and phosphorus fertilizers. In autumn and winter, the flower needs protection from the cold. Despite the fact that this plant is able to withstand frosts to -29 degrees, even when the temperature drops to -7, the rose bush needs to be covered.
Before covering the plant, the roots of the rose must be sprinkled with earth. Sprinkle with dry leaves or spruce branches on top. Then, above each bush, a wire frame is placed separately, which should be 0.2-0.3 m higher than the bush itself. Thermal insulation material is placed on top of the frame, and a plastic film lays on top of the entire structure. In March-April, before you remove the insulation from the bushes, you should first ventilate them, allowing you to gradually get used to the temperature.
Another important element in the care of a Crocus Rose rose is its timely pruning. During the first year of the bush’s life in a new place, early flowers need to be pruned (until August). It is necessary that the forces of the plant go to the development of the root system and stems. At the end of summer, several flowers on the bush are left so that next year the plant blooms profusely.
Crocus rose stalks need to be cut every spring and autumn. In the spring, barely formed buds on the stems, it is important to immediately cut off the old dead branches. Also, using this procedure, you can form the shape of a bush. In the fall, pruning is carried out to remove parts of the plant that are infected in the summer, so that they do not destroy the entire bush during the winter.
Rose Crocus Rose: reviews
Despite its rather "young" age, this variety of roses has become very popular. Many amateur gardeners in Russia and the CIS managed to appreciate the beauty and aroma that Crocus Rose has.
Photos, reviews and personal observations of enthusiastic gardeners who literally fall in love with this variety can often be found on the Internet. In particular, they noted the fact that in Russia and the CIS, the size of the bushes and the flowers themselves exceed those stated by Austin. So, the average flower size reaches 7-10 cm (maximum 8 cm declared).
The disease resistance attributed to this variety has proved to be a myth in practice. Crocus Rose is also susceptible to powdery mildew, as is its progenitor Golden Celebration, so the plant must be sprayed with special preparations. The rest corresponds to the properties declared by Austin rose Crocus Rose (description, photos of plants confirm this).
To date, the Crocus Rose variety is one of the most beloved in the world. Despite its capriciousness, in comparison with other varieties, this one for more than a decade and a half of existence has established itself as the most tenacious and beautiful.