Rose Hettie

‘Hettie’ is a rose full of personality - bold, confident, and bursting with charm. Her rich pink rosette blooms make a striking statement, with a star-like center surrounded by a ring of perfectly layered outer petals in a lighter fuchsia-pink tone. Large flowers of this rose display a dark purple-red hue, gradually transitioning to medium purple-red on the upper side of the petals and medium purple on the lower side. While she may lack fragrance, she more than makes up for it with her intense color, exquisite form, and impressive vase life.

DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

Throughout this description of the rose variety 'Hettie' 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 continuous flowering habit, as this rose variety is suitable for cut flower production under greenhouse conditions. In greenhouse conditions, it is able to bloom all year round. 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 'Hettie' rose variety are medium sized, about 2.7 cm long and 2.1 cm in diameter when the petals start to unfurl. The bud form is short pointed ovoid. When the sepals first divide, the bud color is dark purple red (Group 59B). When half open, the upper sides of the petals are medium purple red (Group N66A) and the lower sides of the petals are medium purple (Group 61B).

Calyx is star-shaped when fully opened with the sepals folding back, the length is about 7.1 cm and the diameter is 7.1 cm.

The sepals have a length of about 2.8 cm and a width of 1 cm. The shape of the sepals is lanceolate with acuminate apex, the surface texture is smooth, slightly hairy on the upper surface and smooth on the lower surface. The colour on the upper surface is light green (Group 144B) and on the lower surface is light green (Group 144B). There are 2 lightly appendaged sepals and there are 3 unappendaged sepals with hairy edges.

The receptacle is medium green (Group 143A), apple shaped and has a smooth surface. The size of the receptacle is large, it is about 1.7 cm long and about 1.6 cm in diameter.

The peduncle is long, averaging to about 9 cm in length and about 4 mm in diameter, of a normal strength and has a smooth surface. The colour of the peduncle is medium green (Group 144A) with coloration of dark brown purple (Group 184A).

Bloom:

The flowers are large, the average diameter of the open flower is about 11.5 cm and average depth is about 3.2 cm. When first open, the flower form is cupped, but as the flower fully opens the shape becomes flat, more rosette shaped, the outer petals curl slightly. Flowers are very full, the number of petals under normal conditions is 120. They are born singly or in small clusters of irregular shape, of 2 - 4 blooms together. Usually the other blooms are being nipped out for single bloom cut rose production.

When open the colour of the upper sides of the petals is medium purple red (Group N66B) and the reverse sides of the petals are dark blue pink (Group 64C). The base of the petals has a very small basal spot that is light yellow green (Group 2C). Under normal growing conditions the variegation is not observed on the flowers of this rose variety.

The general tonality at the end of the first day is medium purple red (Group N66A), at the end of the third day the general tonality becomes slightly lighter, medium purple red (Group N66B).

Petals:

The texture and surface of the petals is smooth on the inner side and rough on the outer side; the shape of the outer petals is round and the middle petals have obcordate shape, the margins are entire. The apex is cuspidate and the base of the petals is rounded, the tips are slightly recurved. Average length of the petals is about 3.7 cm and the width is about 4.1 cm. The arrangement of the petals is informal.

Normally there are few petaloids present in the center of the flowers, 15-20 on average. Petaloids have medium purple red colour (Group N66B), they are about 1.5 cm long and 5 mm width. Petaloids have obovate shape and irregular 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 their lastingness has not been tested, but as a cut flower they last long, for about 10 - 12 days in vase.

Fragrance:

The fragrance of the rose 'Hettie' is slight to none, not sufficient to characterize.

Reproductive parts:

The number of stamens is 90 on average per flower, the length is about 8 mm, they are mixed with petaloids.

The anthers have a length of about 6 mm and dark yellow colour (Group 13A).

The colour of the filaments is dark yellow (Group 13A), their length is 1 - 2 mm on average.

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

The number of pistils is 120 on average, they are about 9 mm long.

The colour of the styles is grey (Group N155A) with apex of medium blue pink (Group 62B), the length is about 8 mm long.

Stigma are about 1 mm long and have medium yellow orange colour (Group 13C).

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

PLANT

The rose variety 'Hettie' is classified as a Shrub rose and is a part of David Austin’s Wedding and Event Roses collection. The growth character is vigorous, narrow and upright. The plants of this rose variety establish and mature quickly. Mature and well-established plant has a height of about 130 cm and width of about 70 cm. Grows well on its own roots.

Foliage:

There is a 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 7 - 8 leaves. The foliage is large, about 20.5 cm long and about 14.25 cm wide.

The colour of the juvenile foliage on the upper side is dark brown green (Group 146A) with a perimeter of dark purple red (Group 60A) while the lower side is medium brown green (Group 146D) with a perimeter of dark purple red (Group 60A). The mature foliage on the upper side is dark brown green (Group 147A) and on the lower side is medium brown green (Group 147B).

Leaflets:

The size of the leaflets is large, they are about 7.5 cm long and are about 5.5 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, semi-glossy. The edges are serrated, the type of serration is single and large.

The petiole has medium green colour (Group 143B) on the perimeter from the upper and from the reverse surface, while the central vein is medium green brown (Group 153D). Petiole is about 5.1 cm long and 2 mm in diameter, and has a smooth, slightly glandular surface texture on the upper surface and smooth surface on the under surface.

The petiole rachis also has medium green colour (Group 143B) on the perimeter from the upper and from the reverse surface, while the central vein is medium green brown (Group 153D). The length of petiole rachis is about 4 cm and the diameter is about 2 mm, the surface is smooth with prickles on the under surface and smooth on the upper.

The auricle is lanceolate, has a length of about 0.5 cm and about 1 mm wide. The colour of the auricle is medium green (Group 143B).

The stipules are 1.5 cm long, lateral with acute apex, and have medium green colour (Group 143B).

The central veins have light green colour (Group 151A) and the rest of the veins have dark brown green colour (Group 147A), the venation pattern is reticulate.

Wood:

The new wood of this rose variety has medium brown purple colour (Group 183D) with flashes of medium brown green (Group 146C), the bark is smooth. The mature wood is dark brown green (Group 146A) on the bottom ⅓ of the stem and dark brown (Group 200C) on the upper ⅔, the bark remains smooth.

Stems:

The mature stem has an average length of about 120 cm and the diameter of 9 mm, the internode distance is about 5.3 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 ordinary/few prickles present on the main canes from base and on the laterals from main canes of this rose, about 10 - 12 per 20 cm of the stem length. The shape of the prickles is deep concave, the length is about 9 mm and the width on the base is about 8 mm. The colour of the young prickles is dark purple red (Group 60A). The mature prickles have dark purple red colour (Group 60A) with light green (Group N144B) at apex.

Small prickles:

The small prickles are usually not observed on the canes and on the laterals from the main canes of this rose variety.

Disease resistance:

The rose variety 'Hettie' is disease resistant, particularly to mildew, blackspot and rust in greenhouse conditions, with on average day temperature maintained at 17.5 degrees C. In the garden conditions it is somewhat susceptible to black spot and mildew. The pest resistance has not been tested yet.

Rose variety is recommended for growing in climate conditions similar to USDA 7 and requires winter protection in more colder climates.

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

Wedding and Event Roses collection

ORIGIN OF THE VARIETY

Rose variety ‘AUSCP17117’ / 'Hettie' originated in the nursery of David Austin Roses Limited (UK) in Albrighton, United Kingdom in 2018 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 cut rose variety bearing large blooms with a deep pink color and a light fragrance with a long vase life.

SUMMARY OF THE VARIETY

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

 deep pink colored blooms that are many petalled;

  very large very full blooms with a light fragrance;

 strong stems, and growth habit suitable for cut rose production

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 ‘AUSCP17117’ / ‘Hettie’ may be distinguished from its seed parent, by the following combination of characteristics:

 the seed parent has a flower which is mid-pink in color, with fewer petals, whereas ‘AUSCP17117’ / ‘Hettie’ is a deep pink color and has a much longer vase life when cut from the plant.

The ‘AUSCP17117’ / ‘Hettie’ may be distinguished from its pollen parent by the following combination of characteristics:

 the pollen parent is yellow in color with a hybrid tea bloom form, whereas AUSCP17117’ / ‘Hettie’ is a deep pink color with a more rounded old rose style bloom.

COMPARISON WITH THE CLOSEST COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE CULTIVAR

The most similar rose cultivar to the variety ‘AUSCP17117’ / ‘Hettie’ is the variety ‘Ausapply’ / ‘Capability’. They may be distinguished by the following combination of characteristics:

 ‘Ausapply’ / ‘Capability’ typically has an irregularly rounded bloom form, as opposed to the more rounded form of ‘AUSCP17117’ / ‘Hettie’;

 ‘Ausapply’ / ‘Capability’ also exhibits a stronger fragrance as compared to the very weak fragrance of ‘AUSCP17117’ / ‘Hettie’;

 The petal count between the two roses is also different, with ‘Ausapply’ / ‘Capability’ having approximately 100 petals per bloom, and ‘AUSCP17117’ / ‘Hettie’ has approximately 120 petals per bloom;

 Finally, ‘Ausapply’ / ‘Capability’ has a predominant stamen color that is white, whereas ‘AUSCP17117’ / ‘Hettie’ has a predominant stamen color that is yellow.

USDA 7