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Classifying Roses
by Stephen Scanniello
Fifteen years ago we were content to group roses into the following seven categories: hybrid teas, floribundas, grandifloras, miniature roses, climbers, old-fashioned roses and shrub roses (which included anything that didn't fit into one of the other categories). Gardeners today, inspired by the escapades of the rose rustlers, the Heritage Rose Foundation and the many new rose nurseries specializing in unique roses, have been expanding their horizons, and the number of categories has expanded as well.
'Fashion' (A Floribunda)
Photo © Stephen Scanniello
One general rule to remember is that a modern rose is a rose that belongs to a classification (such as hybrid tea or floribunda) that has evolved from 1867 on. That is the universally accepted date of the first hybrid tea rose. Old garden roses (also known as antique roses, old-fashioned roses, old roses, even "grandma's roses") are roses that belong to a classification that existed before 1867.
The Basic Rose-Classification System
Old Garden Roses—15 Classes:
Species—The wild roses—the source of all other rose varieties. Producing simple, very fragrant flowers once a year in spring, they're carefree, disease resistant and hardy.
Gallicas—Descendants of R. gallica, probably the oldest cultivated rose in existence in the West. These are low shrubs, suckering (producing new shoots along the roots), with large, fragrant flowers borne singly or in clusters.
Damasks—Closely related to gallicas but larger and taller, damasks are the most fragrant of the old garden roses, with semi-double or double blooms. 'Autumn Damask' is the only repeat bloomer.
Albas—Believed to be crosses between damask or gallica roses and R. canina, the albas are upright, tall and vigorous, with sparse prickles, tough leaves and mostly fully double blooms.
Centifolias—Known as cabbage roses for their globe-like flowers. Centifolias may be a cross between 'Autumn Damask' and an alba. They're taller than gallicas, with drooping leaves, prickly stems and fragrant, nodding flowers.
Moss roses—"Sported" (genetically mutated) from centifolias or damasks, moss roses have drooping foliage and sepals, hips and flower stalks covered with mossy growth that gives off a pine or resin scent when rubbed.
Chinas—Everblooming roses first discovered in China. Brought in the late 18th century to Europe, where many new cultivars were created. These are the everblooming ancestors of all modern, repeat-blooming roses. Some Chinas are low growing; some have tall canes and can be treated as climbers. Their small flowers usually change from light to dark; they're borne on short stems and have a distinct, light fragrance.
Teas—Very fragrant forms of the China class, with dainty leaves and stems. The first teas were crosses between R. chinensis and R. gigantea.
Noisettes—The original Noisettes were a cross between a China rose and European rose, and are not very hardy.
Bourbons—The original Bourbon was an accidental hybrid of Chinas and 'Autumn Damask', a repeat bloomer with larger, fragrant flowers.
Hybrid Chinas—First generation of crosses between Chinas and other rose varieties, developed for larger flowers.
Hybrid Bourbons—First generation of crosses between the original Bourbons and gallicas or damask hybrids, these have various flower colors and growth habits.
Hybrid Noisettes—First generation of crosses between Noisettes and Bourbons, Chinas and tea roses, with larger flowers.
Portlands—Popular in the early 19th century because of their repeat-blooming flowers.
Hybrid perpetuals—Hybrids of Portland roses, hybrid Chinas, gallicas and Bourbons, these were very popular in the 19th century. They're very hardy, ranging from sprawling to upright in habit, with fragrant, many-petaled flowers on short stems.
Modern Roses—10 classes:
Hybrid teas—Very popular modern roses with large flowers on long stems. Hybrid teas bloom often, in a wide range of colors; many are fragrant.
Polyanthas—Low-growing shrubs with large clusters of small flowers ("polyantha" means "many-flowered"). They grow to about 2 feet, are extremely hardy and bloom continuously, though generally with little fragrance.
Floribundas—Originally hybrids between polyanthas and hybrid teas. Floribundas (the name means "cluster-flowered") are hardy, large, shrubby bushes that bloom continuously all summer.
Grandifloras—Originally crosses between hybrid teas and floribundas, with clustered flowers like the floribundas but larger, and with the long stems of hybrid teas. Grandifloras are tall, often over 6 feet, with masses of color.
Miniatures—Except for the miniature cascading and climbing roses, these grow to just 10 to 18 inches, with proportionately small leaves, stems and flowers. They're very hardy, and unlike many modern roses, most grow on their own rootstocks.
Climbing roses—No roses have tendrils or other means for climbing on their own, but the climbers have tall canes that with support can be trained to grow upright. Some are everblooming; others bloom just once at the beginning of the season. Ramblers are climbing roses with very pliable canes.
Shrub roses—A catch-all category including robust, spreading roses that bloom fairly constantly, some with single flowers, others double.
Hybrid musks—Shrub roses only distantly related to the musk rose. Can tolerate poor growing conditions, such as poor soil and shade. Many set good hips (fruits). Some hybrid musks can be trained as climbers.
Eglantine hybrids—Crosses between the species eglantine rose and hybrid perpetuals, Bourbons or other roses, these are large, arching shrubs that can reach 10 to 12 feet. They produce early leaves with a spicy apple scent, fragrant blooms borne either singly or in clusters and bright-red hips in autumn.
Rugosa hybrids—Hybrids of hybrid teas and R. rugosa. Some of the hardiest roses, these are very easy-care, disease-resistant roses.
Stephen Scanniello is a world-renowned rosarian and former curator of the Cranford Rose Garden in the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. He is co-author of Roses of America and Climbing Roses, and served as consultant and contributing author on several other horticultural books, among them the upcoming new edition of the Bush-Brown America's Garden Book and the American Horticulture Society Encyclopedia of Gardening. He is chairperson for the Heritage Rose Foundation.