Rose Black Beauty

This lovely rose sport was discovered in The Netherlands simultaneously by Johannes Wilhelmus Maria Nijenhuis in Bemmel, and by Hette Spek in Boskoop. Has distinctive dark velvet red flowers, almost black, which lasts impressively long both on a plant and as a cut flower.

DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY
The following is a detailed description is provided using terminology in accordance with The Royal Horticultural Society (London) Colour Chart, except where ordinary dictionary significance of color is indicated.

FLOWERING
‘Black Beauty’ has almost continuous flowering, blooms in flushes, with very short breaks, from early summer until frosts in garden. In greenhouse can produce flowers year long.

Flower bud:
The buds are medium sized, about 3 cm (1 1/4 inches) long when the petals start to unfurl. Their shape is long and pointed ovoid. When sepals first divide, the bud colour is near dark red (Group 53B). When half blown, the upper sides of the petals are near dark purple red (Group 53A), and the lower sides of the petals are near dark red (Group 53B). They are usually borne singly, or sometimes several together in clusters of three to five blooms having a rounded shape.

The sepals have medium brown green colour (Group 138B). Their surface texture is covered in fine hairs. There are 3 normally to heavily appendaged sepals and there are 2 unappendaged sepals with hairy edges.

The receptacles is medium brown green (Group 138B), have smooth surface, funnel shaped and small, about 6 mm (1/4") long and about 8 mm ( 5/16") in diameter.

The length of the peduncle is about 6 .5 cm (3 inches), it is stiff, erect and heavy, the surface is smooth. The colour of the peduncle is medium brown green (Group 137C).

Bloom:
The flowers are medium sized, with an average open diameter of about 9 cm (3 ½ inches). They are double, the number of petals under the normal conditions is about 30. When first open, they have a high-centered flower shape. The flowers retain their shape to the end, all petals curl back in a quill fashion.

The upper sides of the petals are dark red (Group 53A) and the reverse sides of the petals are dark red colour (Group 53B). The base of the petals has no color spot on the outer surface while the inner surface has a color spot about 5 mm (3/16”) by 5 mm (3/16") in dark red colour (Group 53A). On either side of this darker area are two light patches, about 8 mm (1/3") by 8 mm (1/3"). They are close to light yellow (Group 4C) with dark red (Group 53B) overlaid on top. The major color on the upper sides is dark red (Group 53A).

There is also occasional greenish-white streaks on the guard petals.

At the end of the first day the flowers do not demonstrate any colour change; as well as at the end of the third day. Later on no change is observed on flowers through day 14 in the vase, but in garden conditions the colour fades by from day 10 lighter, red-brown.

Petals:
The texture of the petals is thick, has velvety appearance. The shape is round, heavily quilled. The arrangement is imbricated. The petaloids in the center are not observed in this variety. Petals drop off cleanly before drying.

The petals last on a plant very long, about 10 days as well as a cut flower – about 14 days under normal conditions.

Fragrance:
The variety ‘Black Beauty’ has no scent.

Reproductive parts:
There are many anthers on the flower around the styles, they are medium sized and have dark purple red colour (Group 46A).

The filaments have dark purple red colour (Group 46A).

The colour of the pollen is golden-yellow.

The styles are dark purple red (Group 46A).

The colour of the stigmas is greenish-white.

PLANT
The rose variety ‘Black Beauty’ is a hybrid of Rosa hybrida and classified as a Floribunda rose. Rose has moderately vigorous growth habit. Forms upright, compact and branching plant. At maturity the height is about 120 cm and the width is about 40 – 60 cm.

Foliage:
There is a normal quantity of foliage on this variety. The number of leaflets on normal mid-stem leaves is 5. The foliage is medium sized, the length of the leave is about 14 cm (5 ½“) and the width is about 11.5cm ( 4 ½” ).

The colour of the new foliage on the upper side and lower sides is medium brown (Group 176D), turning to green very quickly. The mature foliage on the upper side is dark brown green (Group 147A) and on the lower side is medium brown green (Group 147C).

Leaflets:
The leaflets of this variety have pointed oval shape. Their texture is smooth and semi-glossy, the edges are serrated, the type of serration is single.

Petiole rachis has reddish green colour, the petiole underside is smooth, with occasional prickles. The stipules are medium, about 8 mm (5/16"), edged with a few glands.

Wood:
The new wood has reddish green colour, turning green very quickly; the bark is smooth. The old wood has medium brown green colour (Group 137C) and smooth bark.

Stems:
The flowering stems are strong, averaging about 40 to 56 cm (16-22 inches) in length.

Prickles:
There is a few prickles on the main canes from base and on the laterals. The prickles are medium sized, hooked slightly downward. The colour of the young prickles is dark brown purple (Group 183C), when they are mature they have brown colour.

Small prickles:
The small prickles are not observed on the main canes from base and on the laterals from the main canes.

Disease resistance:
The variety ‘Black Beauty’ is susceptible to black spot and mildew under normal growing conditions both in a greenhouse and in a garden. The resistance to botrytis and rust is good. Not tested for pest resistance.

The variety is suitable for growing in climate zones similar to USDA 6 and warmer. In colder climates requires winter protection.

Unfortunately we do not have information about the origin of the name of this rose.

ORIGIN OF THE VARIETY
The rose variety ‘KORfleur’ / ‘Black Beauty’ of the floribunda class which was originated by Johannes Wilhelmus Maria Nijenhuis and Hette Spek from a discovery of a single branch spontaneous mutation on a rose plant of the variety ‘KORflapei’ / ‘Frisco’ growing in a greenhouse in Bemmel, The Netherlands. This branch bore a red flower as compared to the bright yellow flowers of ‘KORflapei’ / ‘Frisco’ with yellow anthers.

Therefore, this rose variety is a spontaneous mutation of ‘KORflapei’ / ‘Frisco’ from W. Kordes' Söhne, 1986.

SUMMARY OF THE VARIETY
Asexual reproduction of this variety by budding, as performed at Boskoop, The Netherlands, and Somis, Calif. showed that the foregoing and all other characteristics and distinctions come true to form and are established and transmitted through succeeding propagations.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTS
KORfleur / ‘Black Beauty’ differs from ‘KORflapei’ / ‘Frisco’ in flower color and in anther (filament) color. It has the same high-centered shape, high flower production ability and long vase life of its parent ‘KORflapei’ / ‘Frisco’.

USDA zone 6 and warmer