Rose Jenny Duval

'Jenny Duval' is a magnificent old Gallica rose, admired for the extraordinary color metamorphosis of its richly full, fragrant flowers. Depending on season and weather, the blooms combine tones of pink-lavender, light cherry-red, purple-pink, lilac, and violet, gradually fading to grayish lilac-blue with violet streaks and lighter petal edges. These striking tonal contrasts create a vivid and ever-changing display on a profusely flowering shrub. The variety blooms once in early summer, but with such abundance and fragrance that it leaves a lasting impression.

Rounded pink-red buds, borne singly or in small clusters of 2 - 3 blooms together, open into medium-sized blooms averaging to about 6 cm (2.4 in) in diameter. The flowers are full and cup-shaped, with petals arranged in quarters and often curled toward the center, sometimes revealing visible stamens or a button eye. The color is typically deeper and more aniline-red toward the center, with lighter lilac-pink tones toward the periphery. As the flowers mature, the outer petals take on more pronounced lilac hues, eventually fading to soft gray-lilac. The variation from year to year makes every flowering season unique. The fragrance is intense, sweet, and intoxicating, with powdery and spicy nuances reminiscent of cardamom, pepper, and other warm spices.

Flowering is profuse and this rose is once-blooming, lasting several weeks in early summer. After flowering, the plant produces distinctive large, round, bright-red rose hips, sometimes marbled and covered with fine bristles.

The shrub is upright, dense, compact, and vigorous, typically reaching 80 - 120 cm to 100 - 150 cm (2.6 - 3.9 to 3.3 - 4.9 ft) in height and about 90 - 150 cm (3 - 4.9 ft) in width. In some descriptions, it is noted as about 80 cm (2.6 ft) in height and upright, or around 120 cm (3.9 ft) tall. The shoots are densely armed with numerous small to medium dark-red, pointed prickles. The foliage typically consists of 3 to 5 leaflets, initially medium green, later becoming grayish-green, with an oblong-oval form and somewhat irregularly serrated margins. Young leaves may appear folded with a silvery reverse and are borne on dark-red stems.

Rose variety 'Jenny Duval' demonstrates good frost resistance, it is suitable for growing in climates similar to USDA Zones 4b - 8b. Like many Gallica roses, it thrives in cooler climates and tolerates partial shade. It does not tolerate scorching sun well and performs best in a cool position with nutritious, neutral soil and adequate watering during dry periods. In warmer regions, partial shade is recommended. It may take several years to form a fully developed, abundantly flowering shrub. Proper care and timely feeding significantly enhance performance.

The rose is valued both as a distinctive garden specimen and as a cut flower, and it is also suitable for container growing. Although its blooms may occasionally resemble those of ‘Président de Sèze’ in certain seasons, the plants of this rose are otherwise quite different.

This is an especially appealing choice for gardeners who appreciate unusual, historic Gallica varieties and seek a shrub with remarkable tonal depth and a powerful, spicy perfume.

'Jenny Duval' was first mentioned in the Van Houtte catalog in 1842. The assertion by Suzanne Verrier that the rose was bred by the rose breeder Hippolyte Duval remains unconfirmed, as he does not list it in his 1852 catalog or later editions. It is unknown whether a member of his family bore this name. The synonym Jeanne Duval - without clear documented origin - may refer to the muse of the French poet Charles Baudelaire. Another historical figure named Jenny (Malvina) Duval, whose portrait is displayed in the Louvre, was the daughter of the writer and actor Alexandre Duval (1767 - 1842).

Information about the parantage of this rose is not available or commecrically protected.

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