Rose Kate

‘Kate’ became famous for its wavy petaled, striking fuchsia pink coloured flowers. When just starting to open the petals sit quite upright in her deep-cupped bloom but then gradually relax into a larger, flatter rosette shape having at the center of each bloom a button eye of small inward folding petals. The fragrance is light, of a pure rose character, with hints of lemon and pears

DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

The following detailed description of the rose variety ‘Kate’ is provided with color descriptions using terminology of the The Royal Horticultural Society (London) Colour Chart (2001), except where ordinary dictionary significance of color is indicated. Phenotypic expression may vary with environmental, cultural and climatic conditions, as well as differences in conditions of light and soil.

FLOWER

The flowering habit is continuous, as this rose variety is suitable for cut flower production under greenhouse conditions. In greenhouse conditions, it is able to bloom all year round.

Flower bud:

The flower bud has a pointed ovoid shape. The buds are large and broad, the length of the flower bud is about 4 cm long and 3 cm in diameter when the petals start to unfurl. When sepals first divide, the bud color is medium purple red (Group N66A). When it is half opened, the upper and the under sides of the petals are medium purple (Group 67A) .

The sepals have lanceolate shape. Their surface texture on the upper surface is smooth, and the lower surface is downy. The length of the sepals is 4 cm and the width is about 1 cm. The colour of the sepals in the upper surface is medium brown green (Group 138A) and on the lower surface is light green in the middle zone (Group 138D) and medium brown green (Group 138A) on the outer zone. There are 3 normally appendaged sepals and there are 2 unappendaged sepals with hairy edges.

The receptacle is medium sized, about 1.2 cm long and about 1.2 cm wide, has funnel shape and smooth surface. The colour of the receptacle is medium green (Group 144A).

The peduncle is averaging to about 5 cm in length, strong and erect. The surface of the peduncle is smooth and has light green colour (Group 144B).

Bloom:

The flowers of ‘Kate’ are large, average open diameter is about 10 cm. They are usually borne singly or in small clusters of 4-5 blooms together. The flowering stems are strong, have an average length of about 80 cm and the diameter of 5 mm. When first open the bloom is cupped, as the flower fully opens the shape flattens. The number of petals under normal conditions is 65 on average.

The upper sides of the petals are medium purple (Group RHS 67A) while the reverse sides of the petals are medium purple red (Group RHS N66A), and the base of the petals is dark yellow (Group RHS 14A). 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 (Group67A) . The colour persistence is very good. At the end of the third day there is no change of color observed on the flowers of this variety. Closer to the end the colour becomes more dull.

Petals:

The petals have a velvety texture and rough surface. The length of the petals is 4.3 cm on average and their width is about 5.1 cm on average. The shape is deltoid, the margins are entire but have slightly frilly edges. The shape of the apex is rounded but undulating and the base is obtuse. The tips of the petals are slightly recurved. Petals arrangement is imbricated. At the center of each bloom there is a button eye of small inward folding petals.

There are commonly about 3 petaloids present on the flowers of this rose variety, they have medium purple red colour (Group RHS N66A). The length of petaloids with anther is about 5 mm and the width is about 1.5 mm, the shape is half-moon and they have irregular margins.

The petals usually hang on and dry on a plant. It is highly recommended to ensure timely deadheading to keep the plant tidy and healthy.

The petals last on the plant for a long period, about 8 to 10 days on a plant and about the same period of time when used as a cut flower.

Fragrance:

The fragrance is light, more of the pure rose character, with hints with hints of lemon and pears.

Reproductive parts:

There are a large number of stamens per flower, about 250 per flower. The length of the stamens is 6 mm on average.

Anthers are medium yellow orange (Group 21A) and are about 3 mm long; they are regularly arranged around the styles.

The filaments have medium yellow orange colour (Group 21A) and are about 3 mm long.

The pollen is golden yellow in colour (Group 21A).

The number of pistils is 70 on average and they have a length of about 6 mm.

The styles are pale pink (Group 48D)and have a length of 5 mm on average.

Stigmas are about 1 mm long and have clear yellow colour (Group 12A).

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

PLANT

The rose variety ‘Kate’ is classified as a Shrub rose. The growth habit is vigorous, upright and bushy. The rose variety is energetic and matures rather quickly, the mature and established plant has a height of about 130 cm and the width of about 75 cm.

The variety is bred for cut flower production in a greenhouse environment therefore in garden conditions is susceptible to common rose diseases. ‘Kate’ rose is a part of David Austin’s Wedding and Event Roses collection

Foliage:

There is a normal quantity of foliage on the plants of this rose variety. The number of leaflets on normal mid-stem leaves is generally 5, including the terminal leaflet. The average number of leaves per flowering stem is 12. The leaves are large to medium sized, about 16 cm long and are about 12 cm wide.

The new foliage on the upper side has medium green colour (Group 144A) with hints of dark brown purple (Group RHS 178A); while the lower side is light green (Group RHS 144B). The mature foliage on the upper side is dark green (Group 136A) and on the lower side is dark brown green (Group 137B).

Leaflets:

The leaflets are broadly oval, with rounded base shape and acuminate apex. The surface texture is leathery, semi-glossy and smooth. The edges are serrated, the type of serration is single and medium.

The colour of the petiole is medium green (Group RHS 144A) with dark brown purple (Group RHS 178A); the length of petiole is about 3.5 cm and the width is about 2 mm, the surface texture is glandular.

The petiole rachis has medium green colour (Group RHS 144A) with dark brown purple (Group RHS 178A) on upper side and smooth on the underside.

The stipules are about 2.2 cm long, smooth and glandular, the colour of the stipules is medium green (Group RHS 144A). The auricle is sword-shaped, the length is 6 mm on average and the diameter is about 0.75 mm. The colour of the auricle is medium green (Group RHS 144A).

The veins have the same colour as the leaf, dark green (Group RHS 135A) with dark brown purple (Group RHS 178A), the venation pattern is reticulate (net-veined).

Wood:

The new wood of ‘Kate’ rose variety has dark brown purple colour (Group 178A) and smooth bark. The mature wood is dark green (Group 136A), the bark is smooth as well. The number of lateral branches is few, the average length of the lateral branch is 50 cm with the average diameter of about 6 mm.

Stems:

The stems are long and strong, the average length of the stem is 130 cm on average with the diameter fo about 7 mm. The internode distance is average, and the pubescence is absent on the stems. The above measurements are all variable, depending on growing conditions in a season.

Prickles:

There is an ordinary quantity of prickles on the main canes from the base of this rose variety, about 13 per 15 cm of the stem length. On the laterals from main canes there is also a normal quantity of prickles, about 13 per 15 cm of the stem length. The shape of the prickles is Deep concave, and they have a length of 6 to 5 mm on average and the diameter at the base is about 3 to 4 mm. The young prickles have brown red colour (Group RHS 178B); while the mature prickles have medium brown colour (Group RHS 166C).

Small prickles:

There are few small prickles on the main canes from the base and on the laterals from the main canes. The colour of the small prickles is the same as the colour of the large prickles.

Disease resistance:

The rose variety ‘Kate’ is disease resistant, particularly to mildew, blackspot and rust in greenhouse conditions, with on average day temperature maintained at 17.5 degrees C. In a garden environment the resistance to black spot and mildew is moderate. Pest resistance has not been tested yet.

The cold hardiness is rather weak, it is not well suited for cold winters, however it is recorded that it can withstand winter in the garden in climates similar to USDA 7 and warmer.

Named in honour of the Princess of Wales.

Wedding and Event Roses collection

ORIGIN OF THE VARIETY

The rose variety named ‘Auschris’ / ‘Kate’ originated by David Austin by crossing an unnamed, unpatented seedling with an unnamed, unpatented seedling.

BACKGROUND OF THE VARIETY

The primary objective of this rose breeding was to produce a new of luxury cut rose suitable for year round cut flower production under standard greenhouse conditions with unusually long vase life, long elegant magenta pink buds with petals that deepen as they age taking on hints of purple, and a balanced pure rose fragrance with hints of raspberry, red currant, geranium and bergamot that remain through all stages of the flowering.

SUMMARY OF THE VARIETY

Among the features which distinguish the ‘Auschris’ / ‘Kate ’variety from others presently available and commercial rose cultivars is the following unique combination of characteristics:

 magenta pink color that fades into a deeper almost purple color with age,

 fragrance that remains throughout all stages of life, and a pure rose fragrance with hints of raspberry, red currant, geranium and bergamot.

Asexual reproduction of this new variety by budding, as performed at Albrighton, The UK, 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 seed and pollen parents of ‘Auschris’ / ‘Kate’ are two unnamed seedlings. The new rose may be distinguished from its seed parent, by the following combination of characteristics:  ‘Auschris’ / ‘Kate’ is deep pink fading to purple with fewer petals and slightly larger flowers, whereas the seed parent is dark red with a smaller bloom and more petals.

Rose ‘Auschris’ / ‘Kate’ may be distinguished from its pollen parent, by the following combination of characteristics:

 the pollen parent is white, with a hybrid tea form.

COMPARISON WITH THE CLOSEST COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE CULTIVAR

The closest commercially available cultivar to the ‘Auschris’ / ‘Kate’ is the ‘Ausglade’ / ‘Emily’. ‘Auschris’ / ‘Kate’ may be distinguished from the ‘Ausglade variety by the following combination of characteristics:

 the ‘Auschris’ / ‘Kate’ has 65 petals whereas ‘Ausglade’ / ‘Emily’ has 140-150 petals;

 ‘Auschris’ / ‘Kate’ has a shallower cup, which is rosette shaped, whereas ‘Ausglade’ / ‘Emily’ has a deep cupped and quartered bloom form;

 ‘Auschris’ / ‘Kate’ has no prickles, whereas ‘Ausglade’ / ‘Emily’ has prickles.

USDA 7