Rose Burgundy Iceberg

This darker variation of the 'Iceberg' rose shares the same vigor, disease resistance, and prolific blooming that made the original ‘Iceberg' so popular and famous. The "Burgundy Iceberg" is highly floriferous, blooming all summer with striking clusters of burgundy double flowers that have a much lighter underside. The flower color varies with the climate, becoming darker in cooler temperatures. It is well-suited for a wide range of climate conditions, from hot and long springs and summers to climates with short, cool summers. Moreover, it is also very tolerant of humidity.

DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

FLOWERING

Outdoors, this variety produces an abundance of blooms almost continuously throughout the growing season. The ‘Burgundy Iceberg’ rose variety occasionally produces single flowers, but more often, they appear in clusters of three to four or more per stem. The flowers typically form regular, somewhat rounded clusters on medium-length stems, which measure approximately 20 to 35 cm.

Flower bud:

Before the calyx breaks, the bud size is about 1.1 to about 1.7 cm in diameter at the widest point, and about 1.8 to about 2.5 cm in length, It has very pointed to somewhat ovoid shape. The surface of the bud bears some stipitate glands usually with slender foliaceous parts extending beyond the tip of the bud about ¼ or more of its length. Bud colour is between medium green (Group 144A) and medium brown green (Group 137C) sometimes lightly suffused, especially on the side exposed to the sun, with between medium brown purple (Group 182A) and medium brown purple (Group 184C).

As the petals open (after the calyx breaks), the bud is about 1.4 to about 2.1 cm in diameter at the widest point, about 1.9 to about 2.6 cm. in length, the shape is very pointed to somewhat ovoid. The color of the under surfaces of the newly opened petals is white (between Group 155C and 155A) usually heavily blushed with dark purple (between 64A and 71A). At the point where the petal attaches, there is a very small zone of light yellow (between Group 4D and 2D). The color of the upper surfaces of the newly opened petals is medium purple (between Group 71B and 71C) at the base of the petal that gradually suffuses near the center of the petal to as dark as dark brown between (Group 187A) and dark purple red (Group 60B). At the point where the petal attaches, there is a somewhat large zone of light yellow between (Group 2D and 4D).

The sepals are about 1.5 to about 2.1 cm in length and about 0.6 to about 0.8 cm in width at the widest point. The sepals are fugacious and usually straight in shape. The outer surface colour of the sepal is between between medium green (Group 144A) and medium brown green (Group 137C) sometimes lightly suffused, especially on the side exposed to the sun, with between medium brown purple (Group 182A) and medium brown purple (Group 184C). The inner surface color of the sepal is between medium brown green (Group 138B) and medium brown green (Group 147C) and covered with fine wooly tomentum; sepal margins are lined with many stipitate glands and hairs.

The peduncle is about 3.0 to about 5.9 cm in length, of somewhat slender caliper, and usually erect. It is moderately smooth with numerous stipitate glands. Peduncle color is between medium green (Group 144A) and medium brown green (Group 138B), sometimes lightly suffused, especially on the side exposed to the sun, with between medium brown purple (Group 182A and 184C).

Bloom:

When fully open, the flower size ranges from about 8.1 to about 11 cm in diameter. Petalage is double with about 27 to 32 petals and about 1 to 3 petaloids arranged irregularly. When partially open, the bloom form is moderately globular to somewhat cupped and the petals are somewhat loosely spiraled to cupped with petal edges slightly reflexed outward. When fully open, the bloom form is moderately cupped to somewhat flat, and the petals are somewhat cupped to slightly undulated with petal edges moderately reflexed outward and sometimes slightly rolled mostly on the inside petals.

When just opened, the under surface of the outer, intermediate and inner petals has white colour (between Group 155A and Group 155C) usually lightly blushed with between medium purple (Group 71C) and dark purple (Group 72A). There is no visible change in coloration at the point where the petal attaches. The upper surface of the outer, intermediate and inner petals upon opening are of between medium purple (Group 67A and 71C) at the base of the petal that gradually suffuses near the center of the petal to darker dark purple between Group 71A and 61A). At the point where the petal attaches, there is a somewhat small zone of near white (Group 155A).

The general tonality of the newly opened flower is between medium purple (Group 67A) and dark purple (Group 71C) at the base of the petal that gradually suffuses near the center of the petal to darker then dark purple (between Group 71A and 61A).

As the flower fully open the under surface of the outer and inner petals is white (between Group 155B and 155D) usually lightly blushed with dark purple (Group 71C and 72A). There is no visible change in coloration at the point where the petal attaches. The upper surface of the outer and inner petals is between medium purple (Group 67A and 71C) at the base of the petal that gradually suffuses near the center of the petal to darker then dark purple (between Group 71A and 61A). At the point where the petal attaches, there is a somewhat small zone of white (between Group 155B and 155D).

The general tonality of the three-day-old flower is medium purple (between Group 67A and 71C) at the base of the petal that gradually suffuses near the center of the petal to darker dark purple (between Group 71A and 61A).

Under normal growing conditions the blooms on the bush growing outdoors generally last about 4-5 or more days. Cut roses from plants grown outdoors and kept at normal indoor living temperatures generally last about 4-5 or more days.

Petals:

The texture of the petals is somewhat thin with upper surfaces moderately satiny to somewhat velvety and under surfaces lightly shiny to matte. The outer petals are nearly round to broadly obovate in shape with rounded apices. The inner petals are more narrowly obovate in shape with rounded apices. The petals are about 2.9 to about 4.3 cm in length and about 1.7 to about 3.4 cm in width at the widest point. Petal margins are entire.

The petals drop off cleanly before drying.

Fragrance:

The flowers of ‘Burgundy Iceberg’ have a very light and sweet fragrance, with notes of apple and honey.

Reproductive parts:

There are about 85 stamens per flower; they are arranged regularly around the pistils; a few are mixed with petaloids.

The filaments are of medium length (about 0.4 to about 0.9 cm.), most with anthers. The colour of the filaments are between dark purple red (Group 59A) and dark brown (Group 187A) in colour.

The anthers are moderately small for the class and all open approximately at the same time. The colour of the anthers is between dark brown (Group 187A) and light yellow orange (Group 11D) when immature and between dark brown (Group 200B) and black (Group 202A) at maturity.

The number of pistils varies in number, and is approximately 35 per flower.

The styles are moderately even, average in length (0.3 to about 0.6 cm.), somewhat thin in caliper, and moderately bunched. The colour of the styles is between red pink (Group 53C) and dark purple red (Group 60A).

Ovaries are usually all enclosed in the calyx.

The stigma is light yellow (between Group 4D and 8D) in colour.

Hips are average in length (about 2.1 to about 2.7 cm.), somewhat obovate to ovoid in form, and near orange red (Group 33B) in color when ripe. The hip surface is very smooth with thick fleshy walls.

The seeds are irregularly rounded, smooth in texture, approximately 6 to about 14 per hip, about 0.4 to about 0.7 cm. in diameter at the widest point and between light green brown (Group 160C) and light yellow brown (Group 162C) in color.

PLANT

The plant of ‘Burgundy Iceberg’ forms a bushy, rounded, medium sized plant, reaching about 75 - 135 cm in height and about 80 - 110 cm in width by the end of the season. It displays a very vigorous growth habit and the canes are of somewhat light caliper.

Foliage:

The compound leaves are usually comprised of three to five or more leaflets and are borne abundantly. The five-leaflet leaves are about 9.9 - 19.1 cm in length and about 8.7 - 15.8 cm in width at the widest point, moderately leathery to somewhat crisp in texture, and semi-glossy in finish.

The rachis is somewhat light to average in caliper and moderately rough. The upper side is shallowly grooved with very few stipitate glands and hairs on the edges of the grooves. The under side of the rachis is moderately rough with few small prickles and some hairs. The rachis color is between medium green (Group 144A) and dark brown green (Group 146B) sometimes lightly suffused, especially on the young leaves with near dark brown purple (Group 183C).

The stipules are about 1.4 to about 1.8 cm. in length and of medium width, about 0.4 - 0.6 cm, with moderately long straight points that usually turn out at an angle of more than 45 degrees. The stipules color is between medium green (Group 144A) and dark brown green (Group 146B) sometimes lightly suffused, especially on the young leaves near dark brown purple (Group 183C).

The petiole is about 0.7 - 1.6 cm. in length and about 0.2 - 0.3 cm in diameter at the widest point. The petiole color is between medium green (Group 144A) and dark brown green (Group 146B).

Leaflets:

The terminal leaflets are about 5.8 - 9.3 cm. in length and about 2.9 - 5.5 cm in width at the widest point, shaped moderately ovate to somewhat oblong with acute apices and rounded to somewhat acute bases. Their margins are serrated, the type of serration is single.

The upper surface color of the mature leaf is between dark brown green (Group 147A and 137B). The under surface color of the mature leaf is between medium brown green (Group 147C and 136C). The upper surface color of the young leaf is between medium green (Group 144A) and medium brown green (Group 137C), sometimes lightly suffused with near dark brown purple (Group 183C). The under surface color of the young leaf is between medium brown green (Group 138B and 136C), sometimes lightly suffused with near medium brown purple (Group 183D).

Wood:

The color of the major stems is between light green (Group 144B) and dark brown green (Group 148A), the bark is smooth with some rough patches. The color of the lateral branches is between medium green (Group 144A and 137B).

The color of the new shoots is between medium green (Group 144A and 137B) often moderately suffused with between medium brown purple (Group 183D) and brown red (Group 181C).

Prickles:

The number of prickles on the main canes and on the lateral from the main canes are very few, they are medium sized or small, about 0.3 - 0.6 cm in length. The prickles are almost straight angled slightly downward with a somewhat short to medium length moderately broad to nearly round base.

The colour of the prickles on the main canes is between light brown (Group 164A) and medium brown (Group 166B). On the laterals from the main canes the prickle color is between light brown green (Group 160B) and light yellow brown (162C).

The flowering stems bear very few medium sized and small prickles which are of similar size and shape to the prickles on the major stems; their colour is near light yellow brown 162D often moderately suffused with between medium brown purple (Group 183D) and brown red (Group 181C).

Small prickles:

Small prickles are absent on the main canes, as well as on the laterals from the main canes of this variety.

Disease resistance:

The plant displays an above average degree of resistance to powdery mildew and rust as compared to other commercial varieties grown. Pest resistance has not been tested.

The variety ‘Burgundy Iceberg’ showed good winter hardiness in climate zones similar to USDA 5 and requires winter protection in more colder climates.

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

Australia - Best Australian Sport or Mutation, Australian National Rose Trials, 2004;

Australia - Best Floribunda, Australian National Rose Trials, 2004;

Australia - Best in Trial, Australian National Rose Trials, 2004;

Australia - Gold Medal, Australian National Rose Trials, 2004.

ORIGIN OF THE VARIETY

The rose ‘Prose’ / ‘Burgundy Iceberg’ is classified as Floribunda Rose. It was discovered in the autumn of 1998 in Dural, New South Wales, Australia as a mutation of the cultivar ‘Probril’ / ‘Brilliant Iceberg’. It was discovered by Edgar Norman Swane, Galston Road, Dural, New South Wales, Australia.

SUMMARY OF THE VARIETY

Among the features that distinguish the variety ‘Prose’ / ‘Burgundy Iceberg’ from other available and known commercial rose cultivars are the following combination of characteristics: Deep purple flowers with lighter reverse;

• Prolific flowering;

• Dark burgundy red stamens and anthers.

• The plant is a bushy rounded growing plant, suitable for outdoor garden decoration.

Asexual reproduction of the ‘Prose’ / ‘Burgundy Iceberg’ as performed in Kern County and Upland, Calif., showed that the foregoing and other distinguishing characteristics came true to form and were established and transmitted through succeeding propagations. ‘Prose’ / ‘Burgundy Iceberg’ may be asexually propagated by cuttings, budding or grafting.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTS

The rose ‘Prose’ / ‘Burgundy Iceberg’ may be distinguished from its parent, ‘Probril’ / ‘Brilliant Iceberg’, by the following combination of characteristics:

• whereas ‘Probril’ / ‘Brilliant Iceberg’ bears flowers of deep pink and cream coloration, ‘Prose’ / ‘Burgundy Iceberg’ bears flowers of deep purple coloration with a lighter reverse;

• ‘Probril’ / ‘Brilliant Iceberg’ bears flowers with dark pink stamens and anthers, whereas ‘Prose’ / ‘Burgundy Iceberg’ bears flowers with significantly darker burgundy red stamens and anthers.

USDA 5