Rose Huntington’s Hero

‘Huntington’s Hero’ is a refined and rare sport of ‘Hero’, offering elegant, semi-double blooms in soft blush tones, highlighted by golden stamens and a rich, myrrh-and-nutmeg fragrance. Its disease resistance, subtle beauty, and historical significance make it a collector’s gem and a charming addition to gardens that appreciate roses with a story.

FLOWERING

This rose variety has a recurrent flowering habit. While not as prolific as some modern cultivars, this rose blooms in repeating flushes, with the heaviest display in spring and early summer, followed by lighter bloomings into fall under favorable conditions. Regular deadheading enhances rebloom.

The semi-double flowers of ‘Huntington’s Hero’ differ dramatically from its fuller-petaled parent. Measuring about 7.5 cm (3 inches)in diameter, each bloom bears only two to three rows of soft, notched petals, forming a shallow cup that quickly opens to reveal a vivid central display of golden stamens and red pistils.

The coloration is subtle yet dynamic: a pale blush pink, occasionally tinged coral, and sometimes fading to nearly white with a creamy or buff yellow hue in hot weather. The buds are flushed yellow-coral, and sometimes distinguished with a red central stripe.

One of the greatest assets of rose ‘Huntington’s Hero’ is its complex and rich fragrance. The strong myrrh scent, developing a nutmeg tone, evokes the aromatic essence of Old Garden Roses and contributes to the plant’s romantic allure.

The petals are broad, notched and have good self-cleaning quality, they normally drop off cleanly before drying. The flowers are borne in small open sprays or clusters of 3 - 7, and appear on long, slender, arching stems, with each bud well spaced so every bloom is shown off, making them ideal for cutting.

PLANT

The rose variety ‘Huntington’s Hero’ is classified as a Shrub rose, although it it oftenly regarded as an English rose, it was never officially included in the David Austin’s English Shrub Roses collection. It grows as a smaller shrub compared to its parent, forming an open, slightly arching, and spreading plant. The mature and well established plants reach the height of about 90 - 120 cm (3 - 4 feet ) and grow to about 120 - 150 cm (4 - 5 feet ) in width.

The foliage is particularly striking, with a gray-green to bluish cast, providing a handsome contrast to the pastel blooms. The new canes bear evenly spaced, bright red prickles, adding ornamental interest even when the rose is not in bloom.

It is ideal for mixed shrub borders, low hedges, or as a focal specimen in a cottage or heritage-style garden, ‘Huntington’s Hero’ offers color harmony, structural interest, and historical significance. Best planted in groups of two or three, spaced about 45 cm (1.5 feet) apart to allow them to grow into one another, forming a full, cohesive display of foliage and blooms.

Unlike its parent ’Aushero’ / ‘Hero’, which has some vulnerability to rust and mildew, ‘Huntington’s Hero’ has so far proven to be notably disease resistant, with no major issues reported in cultivation. Its sturdy foliage remains clean and attractive, even in more humid climates.

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

Introduced in 1995 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of The Huntington Library, this cultivar has become a standout specimen in the Huntington Rose Garden, which houses one of North America’s most extensive collections of English roses.

Its name honors Henry E. Huntington, whose vision and philanthropy led to the creation of one of America’s most celebrated botanical and cultural institutions. The rose continues to bloom as a tribute to the legacy of botanical preservation and discovery.

ORIGIN OF THE VARIETY

Rose variety ‘MARmy’ / 'Huntington’s Hero' a sport of English shrub rose ’Aushero’ / ‘Hero’ by David Austin, 1982. It was spotted on one of sixty ‘Hero’ bushes in the Huntington Botanical Gardens, San Marino, California, in 1993 - 94 by Clair Martin. Of the three propagation cuttings taken, only one preserved the new traits.

USDA 6