Rose Lucifer

‘Lucifer’ is a compact, repeatedly-flowering shrub rose. It bears medium-sized lilac-to-mauve blooms with a luminous silver-white reverse, pours out a surprisingly strong citrus-rose perfume, and stays under 1 m tall, making it as useful in pots or front borders as it is in florist work.

FLOWERING

The rose variety ‘Lucifer’ has a recurrent flowering habit. Blooms in flushes with short breaks from summer until frosts. In frost-free areas it has a continuous blooming habit, but later flushes are scattered.

The flowers are medium-sized, the diameter of the open flowers varies from 6 – 8 cm (~ 2 ¾") on established plants. The flowers start as cupped in shape, slowly opening to a shallow cupped rosette, the outer petals reflex slightly with age, sometimes bright yellow stamens are displayed in the center. They are very double, the number of petals is variable, from 17–25 petals, in hot weather it tends to have less petals. The flowers are borne mostly solitary or in small clusters on short laterals, of 3 - 7 blooms together, the peduncles often are bending.

The colour of the ‘Luciger’ is very unique. Buds start grey-lilac; fully open blooms show a mauve heart with palest silvery-white outer petals, then fade toward soft lavender in heat. In hot weather the colours become lighter. They last on a plant fairly long, under normal growing conditions on a plant they last for about 5 - 7 days, they also last well in vase - for about 5–7 days as well.

The fragrance of this rose is surprisingly strong, often described as lemon-citrus layered over classic old-rose notes.

PLANT

The rose variety ‘Lucifer’ is classified as a Shrub rose, although sometimes listed as a Hybrid Tea by some sellers. This rose is a part of the Heaven or Angel rose series by Junko Kawamoto. The growth habit of this rose is moderately vigorous, bushy and compact. It takes several years to establish, and often requires patience. A mature and well-established plant has a height of about 60 - 120 cm and the width of about 60 cm.

There is a normal quantity of the foliage on the plants of this rose variety. The foliage is medium sized, the number of the leaflets on the normal mid stem leaves varies from 5 to 7, including the terminal leaflet, the leaflets have ovate pointed shape. When young the new growth and foliage has purple red tint, and matures to medium green with slight silver shading. The surface of the foliage is leathery and semi-glossy, the edges are serrated, the type of serration is single and medium.

The stems of the rose variety ‘Lucifer’ are sparsely but evenly armed with medium sized, hooked downward prickles. The stems have a length of about 30 - 40 cm and are manageable for hand-cut bouquets. Strong scent plus an ethereal lavender palette place’ Lucifer’ in high demand for bridal posies, pastel bouquets, and scented table arrangements; faded outer petals can be left on for an ombré effect or peeled for a cleaner finish.

In the garden it pops against silver foliage of artemisia or stachys, and soft blues of salvia or nepeta, or mingles with deeper purples for a twilight scheme. Its modest height suits foreground planting, rose bowls, and small urban patios.

The shade tolerance of this rose variety is excellent, and it does not perform well in full sun in hot climates. Its unique colour has some drawbacks and the tender and satiny petals of this rose tend to get burned under the scorching sun.

Japanese field trials and western growers rate resistance to black spot and powdery mildew as moderate to good, it benefits from airy spacing in humid summers. However growing this rose variety in a garden is somewhat challenging as it shows a susceptibility to mildew and botrytis, especially in wet climates, and in rainy weather the flowers have tendency for ‘bowling’ and not fully open. The pest resistance has not been tested yet.

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

Named after one of the angels as ‘Lucifer’ or ‘Angel of Light Lucifer’, before his fall. Modern scholarship generally translates the term ‘Lucifer’ in the relevant Bible passage (Isaiah 14:12), where the Greek Septuagint reads ὁ ἑωσφόρος ὁ πρωὶ ἀνατέλλων, as "morning star" or "shining one" or “Light-Bringer” rather than as a proper noun, Lucifer, as found in the Latin Vulgate.

Heaven

ORIGIN OF THE VARIETY
Bred in Japan by Junko Kawamoto of Kawamoto Rose Garden and released in 2008 as part of the breeder’s lavender-toned Heaven or Angel rose series

USDA 6