Rosa alba semi-plena – The White Rose of York?
I love a good period piece and truly, I’m not a snob about them although I know I am probably going to sound like one. No, really! I’m not one of those people who can’t enjoy something because it didn’t happen exactly like that. Braveheart–good example. Not quite historically accurate but a really good film and I’ve seen it a bunch of times. So, in The White Queen mini-series (the books of which I happened to enjoy), I was willing to overlook the zipper on the back of Elizabeth Woodville’s gown and that King Edward IV looked as though he just stepped out of a Abercrombie ad. But when the entire Woodville clan came out to meet Edward wearing fat Hybrid Tea roses on their lapels to signify their support for the York cause I shut it down. (I mean, c’mon they looked like they were bought right from the grocery store–did anyone do their research?) Huge, corsage-type Hybrid Teas (about 400 years out of place) where a wild-looking single petaled rose should have been really broke down the 4th wall for this ol’ gardener.
I promise I am going somewhere with this. I’m sure you already know about “The Cousins’ War” or “The War of the Roses,” that tumultuous period in 15th century England, and are familiar with the heraldic roses of both York and Lancaster, white and red, respectively, so I won’t bore you with a history lesson. For myself, being particularly interested in Medieval history and a bit of a collector of old roses, I was pretty much obsessed with growing R. alba semi-plena, or Alba Semi-plena, considered by some to be the actual White Rose of York. I was on a waiting list to purchase one from High Country Roses, and when they finally emailed me to let me know one was ready, the elation can only be compared to what it felt like in the 80’s being informed a Cabbage Patch Kid was back in stock.
(Incidentally, some believe that Rosa gallica ‘Officinalis’, otherwise know as ‘The Apothecary’s Rose‘, could be the Red Rose of Lancaster. I haven’t been studying roses long enough to have an opinion either way but I’m a romantic and like to believe it’s true.)
In our garden, we’ve started a small collection of Albas, and I’m seeing why so many rosarians rave about them. Their delicate-looking white/pale pink flowers and blue/grey foliage are so lovely and they seem to just shrug off pests and disease as if it ain’t no thang. Last summer, with the midge, they stood out as being particularly resistant, and wait until I tell you about ‘Petite Lisette’, an Alba-Damask rose that knocked my socks off. But I’ll save that one for later…
Like other Albas, ‘Alba Semi-plena’ is pretty hardy–to zone 3 if I’m not mistaken–but gosh darn if we didn’t just have the coldest winter I can remember since moving back to Pennsylvania (think surface of Mars cold) and already I have seen that about 10 of our modern shrub roses didn’t make it. Our semi-plena was put in a protective “enclosure” last autumn, since it is still so itty-bitty, but a bit of cane that is poking out from the shredded leaves is blackened. I’m worried of what I might find when I remove the enclosure this spring. Cross your fingers for me!
‘Alba Semi-plena’ bears fragrant, semi-double, pure white blossoms with prominent yellow stamens and produces hips in autumn. It gets quite large, reaching heights of 6-9′ with a 4-5′ spread, according to HMF. The rose seen in these photos was about 5′-6′ tall. ARS rating of 8.9!
Isn’t it funny when people think about a rose a HT pops in there head.. Well most anyways lol
What does this smell like and how is the rebloon?
This is beautiful!!! I still need to get apothicary’s rose!
It IS funny!
Lovely scent, no rebloom. And yes, you do still need that Apothecary’s Rose! 😉
Did you order anything from vintage?
Nope. I might squeeze one in at their final sale but I’m trying to behave right now. You?
No we might be moving and I don’t know how big our yard will be but boy do I want a bunch! Didn’t you get their email yesterday and today?
Yes I did but I only glanced through it so I wouldn’t be tempted. Trying to not order any more roses this spring but you know how that goes…
Yes I get paid tomorrow so it’s really hard not to push the add to cart button lol and it stinks because we probably won’t see most of these roses again for sale… Ugh
I know! That’s what I struggle with is the loss of such a resource–I want to buy them all.
That book that you got was it from them or the friends of Vintage?
I’m pretty sure I purchased direct from Vintage but I don’t remember. I still have that extra one that I intend to give away one of these days…
What was the name of it?
Here you go > Vintage Gardens Book of Roses
I have a rose bush similar, with pink flowers. It’s more than quadrupled its size in 8 years, practically overtaking my picket fence. It’s to the point where I cannot prune each stem lightly. The roses are growing so fast and producing so many blossoms that I have to deadhead large branches.
How do you prune these roses? Do you cut them way back in the fall? I used to protect mine in the Wisconsin winter, but now I just leave them. They are really hardy!
Thanks!
Also, how do you keep yours so healthy? I have had beetle infestations, and lots of black spot over the years. The only way I’ve been able to fight that is with downright awful chemicals. Not something I like to do since I plant organic vegetables in other garden beds. The last two years I’ve not treated any of that with chemicals, but they sure don’t look like yours! 🙂
Hi Andrea, thank you for your visit!
I typically do not prune my Old Garden Roses unless I need to remove some dead canes or to thin it out a bit but if you must prune them, it’s best to do so immediately after flowering since they produce roses on the previous year’s growth. Modern roses, climbing roses, shrub roses and the like have different pruning requirements. The American Rose Society has some tips for pruning HERE and the Royal Horticultural Society has a set of tips HERE which you might find useful.
As far as black spot goes, we have our share of that here, too, but I do not spray my roses, not even with “organic” sprays anymore. If I find that even with my best cultural practices they are still having issues with disease then they must hit the proverbial road. In our garden, our most disease-resistant roses have been the Rugosas, Albas, Damasks and Gallicas but we also have a few modern and shrub roses that have been really wonderful, too. Maybe I should post my favorites here, soon. 😉 Thanks again and hope this was helpful!
Oooo–they’r so gorgeous, those albas. I’m a gardener,who’s retiring in a year, gotten interested in the Plantagenets, particularly the Yorkists. I really want to grow the real deal, Rosa alba semiplena in my own garden. It heartens me that you live in Pa. ( I live in the Blue Ridge mountains of Va.-Roanoke) Is there anyone on this side of The Pond that sells these plants?
Hi Elizabeth! I had the darndest time finding a grower here in the US so I ordered mine from Palatine roses and had it shipped over. It is grafted on multiflora rootstock which I wasn’t thrilled about but beggars can’t be choosers. Here’s the LINK 🙂
Hi! Thank you so much for posting this. I am trying to find somewhere to buy this rose in the US, but am really having a hard time. Do you have any suppliers who would ship to Oregon? Thank you for your help!
Hi Melanie, this is a tricky one to source. If you click on this link it should take you to the list of nurseries in the U.S. who say they carry this rose. It is late in the season for ordering and I imagine any of these nurseries are going to be sold out for 2024 but you could probably put yourself on a waiting list. 🙂
I was researching roses from the late medieval period, as I am a huge fan of Philippa Gregory books and the series. I want to add those to my garden next year. I was also a little set back when seeing the hybrid tea roses on the lapel of the Rivers family. Thanks for sharing this back in 2014, now it is 2024.
Thank you for your visit, Jillian! It’s so nice to meet another P. Gregory fan. Do you have a favorite book of hers? I’m just now reading her latest book Normal Women and it’s quite good. Happy rose gardening! 🙂