Rose Dannahue

’Dannahue’ is a compact, upright, and bushy English rose with soft apricot blooms and a distinctive, zesty fragrance blending notes of lemon, lychee, and apricot. This variety brings elegance, resilience, and inclusivity to modern gardens. Perfect for urban spaces, and thrives in containers, shaded spots, or along walls and fences, making it ideal for smaller gardens and city living. Its medium-sized, fragrant blooms attract pollinators and provide continuous charm throughout the season.

DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

Throughout this description of the rose variety 'Dannahue' is provided with color descriptions using terminology of the The Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society (2001), except where common terms of color definition are employed. Phenotypic expression may vary with environmental, cultural and climatic conditions, as well as differences in conditions of light and soil.

FLOWERING

This rose variety has a recurrent flowering habit. Blooms in flushes with short breaks from summer until frosts. The number of blooms per plant during the growing season is profuse, but there are too many to count.

Flower bud:

The flower buds of 'Dannahue' rose variety are medium sized, about 2.5 cm long and 2 cm in diameter when the petals start to unfurl. The bud form is pointed ovoid. When the sepals first divide, the bud color is medium yellow orange (Group 13B) deepening to light orange (Group 25C). When half open, the upper sides of the petals and the lower sides of the petals are light yellow (Group 10C).

Calyx is star-shaped when fully opened with the sepals folding back, the length is about 5.9 cm and the diameter is 5.9 cm.

The sepals have a length of about 2.5 cm and a width of 1 cm. The shape of the sepals is lanceolate, the surface texture is smooth and hairy on the upper surface and smooth on the lower surface. The colour on the upper surface is medium green (Group 143C) and on the lower surface is medium green (Group 144A). There are 3 normally appendaged sepals and there are 2 unappendaged sepals with smooth or slightly hairy edges.

The receptacle is medium green (Group 144A), apple shaped and has a smooth surface. The size of the receptacle is medium, about 1.15 cm long and about 0.9 cm in diameter.

The peduncle is short, averaging to about 5.3 cm in length and about 2 mm in diameter, strong and has a smooth surface. The colour of the peduncle varies from medium green (Group 144A) to light green (Group 144B).

Bloom:

The flowers are medium sized, the average diameter of the open flower is about 6 cm and average depth is about 3.25 cm. When first open, the flower form is cupped, when viewed from the side the upper profile has flattened convex shape and the lower profile has convex shape; the flower form persists until the end. Flowers are very double, the number of petals under normal conditions is 33 on average. They are born in small clusters of 10-14 blooms having irregular shape.

When first opened, the colour of the upper sides of the petals is medium yellow (Group 10A) and the reverse sides of the petals are light yellow (Group 10B), the base of the petals has medium yellow basal spot (Group 9B). Under normal growing conditions no variegation is observed on the flowers of this rose variety.

The general tonality at the end of the first day is medium yellow orange (Group 15B), at the end of the third day the general tonality becomes light yellow (Group 10C).

Petals:

The texture of the petals is smooth, satiny and thin on both sides, the surface is smooth. The shape of the petals is obcordate with a rounded base, the margins are mostly entire, with a slight notch in the center of the apex. The apex is obcordate and the base of the petals is rounded, and the petals form is incurved. Average length of the petals is about 3.5 cm and the width is about 3.15 cm. The arrangement of the petals is regular.

Normally there are few petaloids present in the center of the flowers, the number varies from 1 to 5 on average. Petaloids have medium yellow colour (Group 10A), they are about 2 cm long and 1 cm in width. Petaloids have irregular shape and uniform margins.

The petals of this rose variety have good self-cleaning quality, they normally drop off cleanly before drying. Under normal climate conditions the petals last fairly long, on the plant they last for about 5 days, as a cut flower their lastingness has not been tested yet.

Fragrance:

The fragrance of the rose 'Dannahue' is moderate, fruity, with distinctive, zesty fragrance and blending notes of lemon, lychee, and apricot.

Reproductive parts:

The number of stamens is 70-75 on average per flower, the length is about 15 mm, they are regularly arranged around styles with some tucked in calyx or so.

The anthers have a length of about 2 mm and medium yellow orange colour (Group 13B).

The colour of the filaments is medium yellow orange (Group 13B), their length is 12-13 mm on average.

The pollen is medium yellow (Group 9B), the amount of pollen is scarce.

The number of pistils is 40 on average, they are about 6 mm long.

The colour of the styles is white (Group 155C) and are about 5 mm long.

Stigma are about 1 mm long and are medium yellow (Group 12A) at the top with medium pink (Group 48A) at the bottom.

The hips of this rose variety have not been observed yet.

PLANT

The rose variety 'Dannahue' is classified as a Shrub rose and is part of David Austin’s English Shrub Roses collection. The growth character is moderately vigorous, upright and broad. Mature and well-established plant has a height of about 110 cm and the width of about 125 cm.

Foliage:

There is an abundant or normal quantity of the foliage on the plants of this rose variety. The number of leaflets on normal mid-stem leaves varies from 5 to 7, including the terminal leaflet. The average flowering stem has about 10 leaves. The foliage is medium sized, about 14.2 cm long and about 10 cm wide.

The colour of the juvenile foliage on the upper side is dark brown green (Group 146B) blending to medium brown purple (Group 184B) while the lower side is dark purple red (Group 59B). The mature foliage on the upper side is dark brown green (Group 147A)and on the lower side is medium brown green (Group 191A).

Leaflets:

The size of the leaflets is medium, they are about 5.1 cm long and are about 3.5 cm wide. The shape of the leaflets is pointed oval, the shape of the leaflet tip is acuminate and the base shape is rounded. The surface texture of the leaflets is leathery, matt. The edges are serrated, the type of serration is double on some but mostly single and medium sized.

The petiole has medium green colour (Group 144A), has smooth upper surface and slightly glandular surface on the underside.

The petiole rachis is medium green (Group 144A) with some dark purple red (Group 59A) on the central upper area. The underside surface is smooth with prickles and the upper side is smooth.

The auricle is lanceolate, has a length of about 1 cm and about 4 mm wide. The colour of the auricle is light green (Group 144B).

The stipules are 3.2 cm long, have lateral shape, smooth and glandular edges and acute apex. The colour of the stipules is light green (Group 144B).

The veins have dark brown green (Group 147A), the venation pattern is reticulate.

Wood:

The new wood of this rose variety has dark brown green colour at the top (Group 146B) with medium brown purple (Group 184B) at the bottom, the bark is smooth. The mature wood is medium brown green (Group 146C) with small spots of orange brown (Group 173B), the bark remains smooth.

Stems:

The number of lateral branches is 2 - 3 on average, they have a length of about 85 cm and the diameter is 9 mm on average. The mature stem has an average length of about 100 cm and the diameter of 9 mm, the internode distance is 7.9 cm. The stem pubescence is not observed on the stems of this rose variety. The above measurements are all variable, depending on growing conditions in a season.

Prickles:

There are many or ordinary quantity of prickles present on the main canes from base and on the laterals from main canes, about 18 per 20 cm of the stem length. The shape of the prickles is hooked downward or deep concave, the length is about 9 mm. The colour of the young prickles is dark purple red (Group 59A); the mature prickles have dark purple red colour (Group 59A) paling to a tip to light yellow orange (Group 159A).

Small prickles:

There are many or ordinary numbers of small prickles on the main canes and on the laterals from the main canes of this rose variety, about 15 per 20 cm of the stem length. The colour of the small pickles is dark purple red (Group 59A).

Disease resistance:

The rose variety 'Dannahue' has good resistance to most common rose diseases, in particular it is resistant to powdery mildew (podosphaera pannosa), downey mildew (peronospora species), blackspot (diplocarpon rosae) and rust (phragmidium tuberculatum) under normal growing conditions. The pest resistance has not been tested yet.

Rose variety is recommended for growing in climate conditions similar to USDA 6 and requires winter protection in more colder climates.

In 2022, David Austin Jr. was hugely impressed with an RHS Chelsea Flower Show garden called ‘Hands off Mangrove’ by not-for-profit Grow2Know. The garden was designed by Danny Clarke along with Grow2Know founder, Tayshan Hayden-Smith, and powerfully united the two prominent issues of social injustice and global deforestation.

Danny and Tayshan’s drive to make gardening more accessible and inclusive, made this city dwelling rose the perfect pairing to share David Austin’s company passion for the power of gardening and enabling roses to bloom in any landscape.

Danny Clarke has become a prominent voice in gardening, advocating for inclusivity and accessibility in green spaces. His journey from relative obscurity to a well-known UK television personality on shows like "The Instant Gardener" showcases his dedication to making gardening accessible for everyone. The ‘Dannahue’ rose embodies this spirit, encouraging people to connect with nature.

English Shrub Roses

ORIGIN OF THE VARIETY

Rose variety ‘Ausa6b15’ / 'Dannahue' originated in the nursery of David Austin Roses Limited (UK) by Carl Bennett by crossing the two ‘unnamed’ and unpatented seedlings of class Rosa hybrida.

BACKGROUND OF THE VARIETY

The primary objective of this rose variety breeding was to create a new rose variety with yellow medium-sized, cupped blooms having a medium, fruity fragrance in a medium-sized, upright and bushy shrub.

SUMMARY OF THE VARIETY

The objective was achieved, along with other important improvements, and this rose variety incorporated the following unique combination of characteristics:

 medium-sized yellow blooms;

 medium, fruity fragrance with hints of lemon;

 nicely shaped shrub with an upright and bushy shape capable of repeat flowering.

Asexual reproduction of this variety by budding showed that the foregoing and all other characteristics and distinctions came true to form, established and transmitted through the succeeding propagations.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTS

The ‘Ausa6b15’ / ‘Dannahue’ may be distinguished from its seed parent, by the following combination of characteristics:

 the seed parent has a higher petal count and is less disease resistant when compared to ‘Ausa6b15’ / ‘Dannahue’.

The ‘Ausa6b15’ / ‘Dannahue’ may be distinguished from its pollen parent by the following combination of characteristics:

 The pollen parent has a pink color when compared to ‘Ausa6b15’ / ‘Dannahue’, which is yellow and shows a different growth habit.

COMPARISON WITH THE CLOSEST COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE CULTIVAR

The most similar rose cultivar to the ‘Ausa6b15’ / ‘Dannahue’ is the English shrub rose ‘Auseasel’ / ‘Vanessa Bell’ and they may be distinguished by the following combination of characteristics:

 Both blooms are similar in color, however, ‘Auseasel’ / ‘Vanessa Bell’ has a larger flower diameter (approx. 8 cm) when compared to ‘Ausa6b15’ / ‘Dannahue’ (approx. 6 cm).

 ‘Ausa6b15’ / ‘Dannahue’ also has a different number of prickles, with ‘Ausa6b15’ / ‘Dannahue’ having many-medium reddish prickles, while ‘Auseasel’ / ‘Vanessa Bell’ has few-medium yellowish prickles.

 Finally, anthocyanin coloration of the leaf is present in ‘Ausa6b15’ / ‘Dannahue’, but is absent in ‘Auseasel’ / ‘Vanessa Bell’.

USDA 6