Rose Albertine

A lot has been beautifully written about this old climbing rose, which remains very popular to this day!
The rose “Albertine” is a true delight, offering a feast for the senses with its picturesque appearance and wonderful fragrance. Like most ramblers, this rose transforms into a stunning explosion of salmon-pink blooms on strong green stems at the beginning of summer, creating a striking contrast with its medium-green foliage. Large, perfectly double pink flowers emerge from a mass of red buds, with coral-pink undersides that add a lovely contrast. Its intense, pleasant fragrance fills the garden. As mentioned before, the aroma of this rose must be experienced to be believed, making it a true marvel at any summer display.

This exceptionally versatile variety is perfect for gazebos, arches, or pergolas and makes a stunning impression when trained against a wall. An added benefit is its suitability as a cut flower, allowing you to bring its beauty and fragrance indoors.

Description of the Rose

Large, ovoid, reddish-salmon buds open into loose, large (8–10 cm) double (26–40 petals) salmon-pink flowers with a coppery tint and darker centers. Over time, the flowers fade to light pink. They have a cup-shaped, open form with a hint of a hybrid tea character and are grouped in clusters of 3–7 blooms. The fragrance is extraordinarily strong and fruity.

The plant is well branching, sprawling, and wide, reaching heights of 200 – 600 cm and widths of 300 – 450 cm. The flexible climbing stems are armed with prickles and spines. Young branches have a brownish tint and are densely covered with prickles. The foliage is small, glossy, and dark green, adding to its appeal from April to October. It blooms once a year in an exceptionally long-lasting display during early to mid-summer. The growth is vigorous and tolerates partial shade.

Resistance and Care

After flowering, pruning is recommended to remove unproductive wood approximately every three years. This reliable variety exhibits vigorous growth and can be pruned to shape, supporting flowering in the next season. With moderate cold hardiness, it withstands temperatures as low as -20.6°C (USDA Zone 5b–9b). It requires spring protection against frost for its stems and can be grown in the ground or containers (which need winter protection).

While very resilient and drought-tolerant, it may be susceptible to powdery mildew and black spot depending on growing conditions. The rose can easily reach heights of 5–6 meters (16–20 feet) with a width of around 3 meters (10 feet). Its long, flexible, and thorny stems are covered with medium-green foliage, ranging from satin-like to matte, which demonstrates decent disease resistance. The flowers appear in summer on second-year shoots, starting as salmon-copper buds that open into large, pink-copper, loose double blooms with a rich fragrance, somewhat resembling hybrid teas.

The flowers hold up well in rain and are grouped in large clusters, elegantly arranged along the stems. Copper-colored buds coexist with blooms ranging from salmon-pink to soft pink and even candy-pink. In warm, calm weather, their sweet, intense fragrance surrounds them. The decorative fruits remain on the plant until winter unless eaten by birds, who adore them.

Growth and Usage

Initially, stems need guidance to a support structure, after which they will naturally find their path. The dense, freely branching shoots make this plant an excellent choice for covering fences, arches, gazebos, or walls. It can also be used to decorate pergolas, supports, or unsightly additions. Additionally, this rose can be grown as a wide, dense, sprawling bush.

Exceptionally reliable, this variety will become one of the crown jewels of your garden! It blooms once a year in June or July, depending on the climate, but its beautiful double blooms, slightly crumpled and ranging in color from copper-pink to salmon-pink to carnation-pink, captivate with their color, fragrance, and abundance. Lush, blooming even in shade, resistant to cold and drought, the charming ‘Albertine’ is also well-armed with prickles and will find its rightful place in a protective hedge.

Historical and Botanical Significance

This rose embodies the spirit of the roaring twenties of the last century—a lush climber with a prickly, carefree nature, exceptional temperament, and stunning summer blooms. Its reputation owes much to the charming form of its slightly crumpled double flowers, the brilliance of its ever-changing pink shades, and, of course, its sweet, highly volatile fragrance.

Created in 1921 by René Barbier and his brothers, ‘Albertine’ is the result of crossing the Rosa wichuraiana (a botanical species from East Asia) with the hybrid tea rose ‘Mrs. Arthur Robert Waddell’. It received the Award of Garden Merit in England and, like Alberic Barbier, François Juranville, and Leontine Gervais, brought prosperity to its creator, who traveled as far as Ohio to showcase varieties derived from their vigorous Asian ancestor.

Wichurana Ramblers

With ‘Albertine’, we enter the exclusive circle of climbing roses with no limitations. Like ‘Alberic Barbier’, ‘New Dawn’, ‘Felicia’, ‘American Pillar’, ‘Mme Alfred Carrière’, and ‘May Queen’, it is particularly valuable for adding lushness and color to challenging or slightly shaded garden areas. Hardy and easy to care for, it thrives almost anywhere when planted with care.

Wichurana roses (or Wichuriana Ramblers) boast a delightful color palette, many of which are quite fragrant (often combining the scents of roses and ripe apples). Bred mainly in the late 1800s and early 1900s, these vigorous climbers are known for their rapid growth and energy. They all trace their lineage back to the wild Japanese species Rosa wichurana, famous for its resilience, glossy foliage, and unstoppable flexible canes.

Named by the breeder to honor of the heroine of Marcel Proust, Albertina Simone.

The Albertine rose is the winner of the 1993 RHS/RNRS Garden Merit Award and the 2000 American Breeders' Society (ARS) Best Twisted Rose.

This variety has been awarded the RHS Award of Garden Merit.

Triploid rose. Parents: Rosa wichuraiana Crép. synonym × Mrs. Arthur Robert Waddell

USDA 7 and warmer