Growing “Arcata Pink Globe” Rose

“Arcata Pink Globe”: A light pink Hybrid Setigera discovered in Arcata, California

EDIT: For better photos of this rose, please visit this post HERE written 1-year later. You will not believe the difference!

When it comes to purchasing roses, I often take everything I’ve ever learned about choosing the right plant for the right place and just throw it out the window. For example, I covet the rose ‘Amy Robsart’ strictly for the name alone. (If you’re a Tudor history geek as I am, then you know why). When roses are given names, they can be for a famous home or garden, a color, a scent, a place, the list is endless. Often, as is the case of ‘Amy Robsart’, they are named for a famous person in history. Forgotten roses that have been re-discovered in say, abandoned farm steads, old cemeteries, railroad tracks and such, are named for where they were found until they are properly identified. “Arcata Pink Globe” is one such rose, found in Arcata, a tiny little seaside town in Northern California.

“Arcata Pink Globe” is a most delicate shade of shell-pink when in bud stage

I threw my rule about right-plant-right-place out the window when I read about “Arcata Pink Globe” because I spent 4 years in Arcata, California as an undergraduate student back in the early 90’s, and there are very few places I am as fond of. Sandwiched between the Pacific ocean to the west and the Redwood Forest to the East, Arcata is also home to Humboldt State University, my alma mater. I haven’t been back to visit since I packed up and left after graduation in 1994 and I miss it terribly.

Here I am (on right) with my sister when she came to visit me at college in Arcata, circa 1992. This picture still makes me laugh. We set the camera on the opposite rail to take the picture automatically, and ducked down in order to get in the frame. When we had the pictures developed (yes, back then we took FILM to be developed), we saw how ridiculous we looked; there was plenty of room.

The tiny, tightly formed buds of “Arcata Pink Globe” reminds me of “The Sweetheart Rose” ‘Cécile Brünner’

Found roses can be hotly disputed until they are properly identified. “Arcata Pink Globe” has been questioned by some to be the rose ‘Baltimore Belle’ but I disagree. I think it is probably the same as the Hybrid Setigera, “Moser House Shed Rose” found in Mokelumne Hill, California. “Moser House Shed Rose” displays flowers that are blush-pink to white, with green button eyes, measuring approximately 2″ across with a light, powdery fragrance. The foliage is dense, somewhat leathery, and disease resistant. That definitely sounds like my “Arcata Pink Globe”. If so, then it also blooms on old wood which means I would only prune to shape and would do so immediately after flowering.

Arcata, California is flanked by the Pacific Ocean and the Redwood Forest. Picture circa 1992.

My “Arcata Pink Globe” was purchased in the early spring from Vintage Gardens which has a fantastic selection of unique roses. In their description, Arcata Pink Globe is described as an “old rambling rose, likely a cross between the Prairie Rose, Rosa setigera, and an old Noisette.” “Arcata Pink Globe” is already proving to be a wonderful rose in our garden, so I got a lucky break there by simply purchasing for the name and history alone. When I first received it as a “banded” (tiny) plant, I transplanted it to a larger, 2 gallon pot and just in the past couple of months it has bloomed beautifully and grown so much that I had to transplant it again (last night in 90+ degree weather, I might add) to a 10 gallon pot. I look forward to the coming seasons enjoying this rose in our garden; it’s a sentimental and beautiful reminder of a really special time from my past.

If you’re interested in reserving your very own “Arcata Pink Globe” for next spring, it can be found HERE.