Rose Keira

The unpredictable colors of ‘Keira’ make her highly desirable, with each bloom slightly different. Her blush and blossom pinks mixed with cream petals resemble raspberry ripple ice cream. Its scent of myrrh, almond, marzipan, and vanilla adds charisma. Each bloom varies in color, opening over three to four days. Modern yet vintage, Keira pairs well with meadow flowers for a garden look or with silvers, golds, or crystal glassware for a glamorous event.

DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

The following detailed description of the rose variety ‘Keira’ 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. The number of blooms per plant of this rose variety during the growing season is profuse, but there are too many to count.

Flower bud:

The bud is medium sized, about 2.2 cm long and 1.6 cm in diameter when the petals start to unfurl. The form of the flower bud is pointed ovoid. When the sepals first divide, the bud color is pink (Group 37B) with light green (Group 145C). When half blown, the upper sides of the petals are light blue pink (Group 65D), and the lower sides of the petals are light orange pink (Group 27D).

The calyx opens up into a star-shape, which folds right back against the receptacle and peduncle as the flower opens and ages, it is about 3 cm in length and about 3 cm in diameter.

The sepals have regular arrangement, the shape is acuminate, the surface texture on the upper surface is downy and on the lower surface is smooth. The length of the sepals is 3 cm on average and the width is 9 mm on average. The colour of the sepals on the upper surface is medium brown green (Group 147C) and on the lower surface is medium green (Group 141C). There are 3 normally appendaged sepals and 2 unappendaged sepals with glandular edges.

Receptacles are funnel shaped, a smooth surface, they are about 0.8 cm long and about 1 cm in diameter. The colour of the receptacles is light green (Group 144B).

The peduncle is medium long, 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 ‘Keira’ are large, average open diameter is about 9 cm. When first open the bloom is cupped, as the flower fully opens the shape flattens. The flowers are very full, the number of petals under normal conditions is 110 on average.

The flowers are borne several together, of 2 to 5 flower buds together in corymb shaped clusters. Because variety is bred and grown as a cut flower, so usually buds and side shoots are nipped out. The flowering stems are strong and long, the average length is about 45 cm with a diameter of 5 mm.

The upper sides of the petals are white (Group N155D) with light blue pink blush (Group 65B) while the reverse sides of the petals are white (Group RHS N155D) with medium purple blush (Group 64D). The base of the petals has no yellow spot and the base has a white shade (Group N155D). Under normal growing conditions there is some variegation observed on the flowers of a shading of medium purple and medium blue pink (Group 64B and 64D) at the tips of some petals.

The general tonality at the end of the first day is white (Group N155D) with light blue pink blush (Group 65B). At the end of the third day there is no change of color observed on the flowers of this variety. Further the light blue pink blush (Group 65B) disappears and the flowers become pure white (Group N155D).

Petals:

The petals have a smooth texture and surface. The length of the petals is 3.8 cm on average and their width is about 3.71 cm on average. The shape is almost round with few of the petals having a deltoid shape, the margins are irregular. The shape of the apex and of the base of the petals is rounded. Petals have incurved from and a regular arrangement.

There are commonly about 4 petaloids present on the flowers of this rose variety, they have white colour (Group N155D). The length of petaloids is about 7 mm and the width is about 4 mm, the shape is obovate with irregular margins.

The petals usually drop off cleanly before drying. The petals last on the plant for a long period, about 9-10 days on a plant and about 11 days when used as a cut flower.

Fragrance:

The fragrance is moderate, with a myrrh character with hints of almond, marzipan, and vanilla.

Reproductive parts:

There are about 25 stamens per flower on average. The length of the stamens is 9 mm on average.

Anthers are dark yellow (Group 13A) and are about 2.5 mm long; they are regularly arranged around the styles mixed with few petaloids.

The filaments have light yellow colour (Group 12C) and are about 5 mm long.

The pollen is light brown in colour (Group N167A).

The number of pistils is 35 on average and they have a length of about 15 mm.

The styles are greenish-white with pink, i.e. light grey green (Group 193D) with red-purple (Group 65B) and have a length of 9 mm on average.

Stigmas are about 11 mm long and have light grey green colour (Group 193D).

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

PLANT

The rose variety ‘Keira’ is classified as a Shrub rose. It is one of the rose varieties from David Austin’s Wedding and Event Roses collection and has features of Hybrid Teas or Florists roses. The growth habit is vigorous, upright and rather bushy. The rose variety is energetic and matures rather quickly, the mature and established plant has a height of about 110 cm and the width of about 85 cm.

The variety is bred for cut flower production in a greenhouse environment therefore in garden conditions is susceptible to common rose diseases.

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 10. The leaves are medium sized, about 14 cm long and are about 19 cm wide.

The new foliage on the upper side has medium brown green colour (Group 137C) with dark purple red (Group 59B); while the lower side is dark purple red (Group 59B). The mature foliage on the upper side is dark green (Group 139A) and on the lower side is medium brown green (Group 138B).

Leaflets:

The leaflets are broadly oval, with rounded base shape and cuspidate apex; the size of the leaflets are about 5 cm long and 4 cm wide. The surface texture is smooth and leathery, the appearance is semi-glossy. The edges are serrated, the type of serration is single and medium.

The colour of the petiole is dark green (Group 137A) with prickles on the underside, the length is about 3 cm and the diameter is about 1.5 mm, the surface texture is smooth.

The petiole rachis has dark green colour (Group 137A), it is smooth on the upper side and with prickles on the underside.

The stipules are about 1.4 cm long, have medium brown green colour (Group 137D) and serrated edges. The auricle is sword-shaped, has a length of about 3 mm and the diameter is about 1.5 mm at widest point, narrowing to a point. The colour of the auricle is medium brown green (Group 137D).

The veins have the same colour as the leaf, dark green (Group 139A), the venation pattern is reticulate (net-veined).

Wood:

The new wood of this rose variety has dark brown green colour (Group 137D) and smooth bark. The mature wood has medium brown green colour (Group 137C), the bark is smooth as well. The number of lateral branches is few, this rose variety does not form many branches.

Stems:

The stems are long and strong, the average length of the stem is 100 cm on average with the diameter of about 6 mm, 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 20 per 10 cm of the stem length. On the laterals from main canes there are few prickles, about 2 per 10 cm of the stem length. The shape of the prickles is hooked downward, and they have a length of about 10 mm on average. The young prickles have brown red colour (Group RHS 182C); the mature prickles have the same brown red colour (Group RHS 182C).

Small prickles:

There are no small prickles on the main canes from the base and on the laterals from the main canes of this rose variety.

Disease resistance:

The rose variety ‘Keira’ is disease resistant, particularly to mildew, blackspot and rust in greenhouse conditions, with an average day temperature maintained at 17.5 degrees C. In a garden environment the resistance to black spot and mildew is weak. 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.

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

Wedding and Event Roses collection

ORIGIN OF THE VARIETY

The rose variety named ‘Ausboxer’ / ‘Keira’ 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 cut rose with blush pink buds, which gradually open to reveal large, many-petalled blooms, which are predominately creamy-white, but delicately brushed with pink, with a Myrrh fragrance, and having a long vase life as a cut rose, produced on strong upright stems, which are suitable for year round cut-flower production under standard greenhouse conditions.

SUMMARY OF THE VARIETY

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

 predominately creamy-white buds that are brushed with pink,

 a Myrrh fragrance;

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

Rose ‘Ausboxer’ / ‘Keira’ may be distinguished from its seed parent, by the following combination of characteristics:

 whereas the seed parent is a deep yellow rose with no fragrance, ‘Ausboxer’ / ‘Keira’ bears a creamy-white bloom with a blush of pink and has a myrrh fragrance.

Rose variety ‘Ausboxer’ / ‘Keira’ may be distinguished from its pollen parent, by the following combination of characteristics:

 whereas the pollen parent is of a deeper pink with a larger bloom and a powerful fragrance, ‘Ausboxer’ / ‘Keira’ has a creamy-white bloom with only a blush of pink and has a moderate myrrh fragrance.

COMPARISON WITH THE CLOSEST COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE CULTIVAR

The closest commercially available cultivar to the ‘Ausboxer’ / ‘Keira’ is the ‘Ausneil’ / ‘Portia’. ‘Ausboxer’ / ‘Keira’ may be distinguished from the ‘Ausneil’ / ‘Portia’ variety by the following combination of characteristics:

 the ‘Ausneil’ / ‘Portia’ produces white blooms, but with no pink and fewer petals, compared to ‘Ausboxer’ / ‘Keira’ which produces creamy-white blooms having a pink blush.

In addition, another close cultivar is ‘Auslevel’ / ‘Glamis Castle’. ‘Ausboxer’ / ‘Keira’ may be distinguished from the ‘Auslevel’ / ‘Glamis Castle’ variety by the following combination of characteristics:

 the ‘Auslevel’ / ‘Glamis Castle’ produces blooms of a similar colour to the ‘Ausboxer’ / ‘Keira’ shade of creamy-white, but with no pink shading.

USDA 7