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Rose Leonora
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Characteristics
Main color: White
Color: Ivory to white
Flowering: Continious
Flower size: Large
Flower: Very full, cupped-to-flat, in small clusters
Foliage: Dark green, large, glossy, leathery
Aroma: Light, citrus and cucumber
Class: Shrub rose
Sub-class: English florists rose, Modern Shrub rose
Type: Florists rose
Growth type: Compact, upright
Height: 90 - 120 cm / 2' 11" - 3' 11"
Width: 65 cm / 2' 2"
Description
Since introduction to the market in 2019 it quickly became a wedding favourite and a classic muse in her own right. It is simply an embodiment of the light, freshness and elegance. Her exquisitely and perfectly shaped blooms at first have a light yellow shade which adds a glowing effect. As the flowers gradually open the form flattens, revealing numerous petals, the yellow tones change to ivory and finally to pure white. The fragrance is light, yet refreshing, with citrus and cucumber hits.
DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY
Throughout this description of the rose variety 'Leonora' 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. 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 buds of 'Leonora' rose variety are medium sized, about 2.8 cm long and 2.5 cm in diameter when the petals start to unfurl. The bud form is blunt topped. When the sepals first divide, the bud color is medium yellow green (Group 154B). When half open, the upper sides and the lower sides of the petals are light yellow (Group 2D).
Calyx is star-shaped when fully opened with the sepals folding back, the length is about 8.5 cm and the diameter is 8.5 cm.
The sepals have a length of about 4.1 cm and a width of about 1.1 cm. The shape of the sepals is lanceolate, the surface texture is smooth, slightly hairy on the upper surface and slightly coarse on the lower surface. The colour on the upper surface is dark brown green (Group 146B) with medium brown purple (Group 186A) and on the lower surface is medium green (Group 144A) with some medium brown purple (Group 185B) in the center. There are 3 lightly appendaged sepals with weak extensions and there are 2 unappendaged sepals with smooth edges.
The receptacle is medium green (Group 144A), funnel shaped and has a smooth surface. The receptacle is slender, about 1.5 cm long and about 0.8 cm in diameter.
The peduncle is medium, averaging to about 9.1 cm in length, strong and has a smooth surface. The colour of the peduncle is medium green (Group 144A).
Bloom:
The flowers are large, the average diameter of the open flower is about 9.5 cm. When first open, the flower form is cupped to flat, the flower form quickly becomes flat after the opening. Flowers are very full, the number of petals under normal conditions is 105. They are born singly or in small clusters, of 2 - 4 blooms, having rounded shape. The flowering stems are strong, long, and have an average length of about 100 cm and a diameter of about 7 mm.
The colour of the upper and of the reverse sides of the petals of the petals is white (Group 155A), and the base of the petals has a medium yellow spot (Group 5C) on both the inner and outer sides. 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 light yellow (Group 2D), at the end of the third day the general tonality becomes lighter, changing to white (Group 155A).
Petals:
The texture of the petals is smooth and velvety and the surface is smooth; the shape of the petals is oval; the margins are entire, no notches or undulations present, very little reflexing present or incisions. The apex is rounded and the base of the petals is acute, and the petals form is incurved. Average length of the petals is about 5.3 cm and the width is about 4.4 cm. The arrangement of the petals is informal.
The petals of this rose variety normally hang on and dry, therefore timely deadheading is required to keep the rose plant healthy and neat. Under normal climate conditions the petals last fairly long, on the plant they last for about 12 - 14 days, as a cut flower their lastingness is 12 days on average.
Fragrance:
The fragrance of the rose 'Leonora' is slight, fresh, with citrus and cucumber notes.
Reproductive parts:
The number of stamens is 60 on average per flower, the length is about 7 - 8 mm, they are regularly arranged around styles.
The anthers have a length of about 1 mm and medium yellow orange colour (Group 13C).
The colour of the filaments is medium yellow (Group 3C), their length is 5 - 6 mm on average.
The pollen is medium yellow orange (Group 17B), the amount of pollen is scarce.
The number of pistils is 45 on average, they are about 8 mm long.
The colour of the styles is white (Group 155A) and they are about 7 mm long.
Stigma are about 1 mm long and are dark blue pink (Group N66C) with light yellow (Group 10C).
The hips of this rose variety have not been observed yet.
PLANT
The rose variety 'Leonora' is classified as a Shrub rose. The variety is bred for cut flower production and is a part of David Austin’s Wedding and Event Roses collection. The growth character is vigorous and energetic. Forms strong, upright, rather narrow plants. Mature and well-established plant has a height of about 90 - 120 cm and the width of about 65 cm.
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 6 - 8 leaves. The foliage is large, about 20 cm long and about 15 cm wide.
The colour of the juvenile foliage on the upper side is dark brown dark purple red (Group 187B) with medium brown green (Group 147B) while the lower side is dark brown purple (Group 183A) . The mature foliage on the upper side is dark green (Group 139A) and on the lower side is medium brown green (Group 138A).
Leaflets:
The leaflets are also large, about 8.5 cm long and about 5 cm wide. The shape of the leaflets is pointed oval, the shape of the leaflet tip is acute and the base shape is cordate. The surface texture of the leaflets is leathery and glossy. The edges are serrated, the type of serration is small and single.
The petiole has light green colour (Group 144B), is about 4.5 cm long and 2 mm in diameter, and has a glandular surface with prickles on reverse side.
The petiole rachis is light green (Group 144B) and has prickles on the underside.
The auricle is lanceolate, has a length of about 2 cm and about 1 mm wide. The colour of the auricle is medium green (Group 143B).
The stipules are 1.5 cm long, have glandular surface and medium green colour (Group 143B).
The veins have dark green (Group 139A), the venation pattern is reticulate.
Wood:
The new wood of this rose variety has medium brown green colour (Group 147B) with streaks of medium brown purple (Group 185B), the bark is smooth. The mature wood is medium brown green (Group 147B), the bark remains smooth.
Stems:
The mature stem has an average length of about 100 cm and the diameter of 7 mm, the internode distance is 17 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 few prickles present on the main canes from base and on the laterals from main canes, about 1-2 per 20 cm of the stem length. The shape of the prickles is concave curved inward, the length is about 4 mm. The colour of the young prickles is dark purple red (Group 60A) and the mature prickles have medium brown colour (Group 174A).
Small prickles:
There are few small prickles on the main canes and on the laterals from the main canes of this rose variety, about 1 - 2 per 20 cm of the stem length. When they are young the colour is dark purple red (Group 60A) with medium brown (Group 174A) and the colour of the mature small prickles medium brown (Group 174A).
Disease resistance:
The rose variety 'Leonora' is disease resistant, particularly to powdery mildew (podosphaera pannosa) and to downy mildew (peronospora species) in greenhouse conditions, with on average day temperature maintained at 17.5 degrees C. The disease resistance to blackspot (diplocarpon rosae) and to rust (phragmidium tuberculatum) is not tested as those diseases are not prevalent in greenhouse conditions. The pest resistance has not been tested yet. In garden conditions rose variety 'Leonora' is susceptible to most common rose diseases.
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.
Name origin
Leonora is a celebration of understated, classic elegance, her name has Greek and Arabic origins and has meaning ‘light’ and ‘compassion’.
Rose Series
Wedding and Event Roses collection
Awards
Parentage
ORIGIN OF THE VARIETY
Rose variety ‘Auswagsy’ / 'Leonora' originated by David Austin by crossing an unnamed, unpatented seedling with an unnamed, unpatented seedlings of Rosa hybrida.
BACKGROUND OF THE VARIETY
The primary objective of this rose variety breeding was to create a new rose variety with ivory colored, full blooms with many petals arranged in an informal formation with good vase life and a fresh fragrance.
SUMMARY OF THE VARIETY
The objective was achieved, along with other important improvements, and this rose variety incorporated the following unique combination of characteristics:
ivory colored flowers;
flowers are very full;
Strong and long flowering stems.
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 ‘Auswagsy’ / ‘Leonora’ may be distinguished from its seed parent, by the following combination of characteristics:
the seed parent has a flower which is pink in color and hybrid tea in form with no fragrance compared to the ivory colored flowers with medium fragrance of ‘Auswagsy’ / ‘Leonora’.
The ‘Auswagsy’ / ‘Leonora’ may be distinguished from its pollen parent by the following combination of characteristics:
the pollen parent also has a pink flower, which is smaller in size when compared to ‘Auswagsy’ / ‘Leonora’.
COMPARISON WITH THE CLOSEST COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE CULTIVAR
The most similar rose cultivars to the ‘Auswagsy’ / ‘Leonora’ are the ‘Ausoblige’ / ‘Purity’ and they may be distinguished by the following combination of characteristics:
The bloom size of ‘Ausoblige’ / ‘Purity’ is 11 cm in diameter, very large, and so bigger than the bloom size of ‘Auswagsy’ / ‘Leonora’, which is 9.5 cm.
The blooms of ‘Auswagsy’ / ‘Leonora’ have more petals, 105 per bloom, as opposed to 60 per bloom for ‘Ausoblige’ / ‘Purity’.
Both varieties are a shade of white/cream/ivory however ‘Ausoblige’ / ‘Purity’ does exhibit a touch of very pale pink color in the center.
Climate zones
USDA 7
Gardening design tips
Growing tips
Health
Black spots:
Mildew:
Botrytis:
Rust:
Rain resistance:
Cold hardy:
Heat resistance:
Published Jan. 31, 2025, 11:23 a.m. by Yuri Osadchyi