Rose Luxor

Classical and luxurious combination of red and white on velvety flowers of this variety. The flowers have perfectly formed classically shaped high-centered flowers which look magnificent both in garden and in vase. In the garden, these flowers demonstrate excellent tolerance to rain and heat. However, the same cannot be said for its leaves, which are susceptible to black spot.

DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY
The following description of the rose variety “Luxor” with color terminology in accordance with The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.C.C.). Phenotypic expression may vary with light availability, environmental and cultural conditions.

FLOWERING
‘Luxor’ has very good repeating flowering habit, continuously blooms in flushes, from early summer until frosts.

In a greenhouse conditions the variety can produce flowers year-round.

Flower bud:
The flower bud is large, about 6 cm long and 5 cm wide when the sepals start to divide. The shape is broad ovate, the colour of the reverse side of the petals is light blue pink (Group 62D) and the colour of the inner side of the petals is dark purple red (Group 53A). The are born mostly singly, more seldomly in small clusters of 2 -3 together.

The margin of the sepals has foliaceous appendages usually on 2 of the 5 sepals. The size of the sepals is large, about 5 to 6 cm long and about 0.5 to 0.8 cm wide. The colour of the upper surface of the sepals is dark green (Group 131A) and the under surface is near medium brown green (Group 137C).

The peduncle is strong, erect, and about 15 cm long, the surface is smooth and slightly hirsute in the lower part. The colour of the peduncle is near medium brown green (Group 137C).

Bloom:
The flowers are large, the average diameter of the open flower is about 14 – 15 cm. The flowers have high-centered shape. When viewed from the side, the upper part of the flower has convex form and the lower part is concave. They are very double, the average petals count is about 36 petals under normal growing conditions, more rarely up to 50 – 55 petals.

When the flowers have just opened the colour of the outer petals on the upper surface is near vivid purplish red (Group 57A) while the under surface is near light red pink (Group 49D), almost white. The inner petals on the upper surface have near vivid purplish red colour (Group 57A) and on the under surface they have almost white, near light red pink colour (Group 49D). The base of the petals, at the point of attachment, have almost light yellow (Group 4C to 4D) to almost white, light red pink (Group 49D) to vivid purplish red colour (Group 57A). The general tonality from a distance at the end of the first day is red with white reverse (bicolor).

The colour of the fully open flower on the outer petals on the upper surface is vivid purplish red colour (Group 57A); while the under surface is near light red pink colour (Group 49D). The inner petals on the upper surface are near vivid purplish red colour (Group 57A) and on the under surface is almost white, near light red pink colour (Group 49D). The base of petals has light yellow colour (Group 4C) and darker to almost white, light red pink (Group 49D) to vivid purplish red colour (Group 57A). The general tonality doesn’t change, from a distance on the end of the 3rd days it is red with white reverse.

The flowers have excellent lasting quality: on the plant they last about 14 days; and as a cut flower about 9 days under normal growing conditions.

Petals:
The petals have smooth texture and velvety appearance on the inside and velvety to satiny appearance from the outside. The are large, with width of about 5 cm and the length of about 2-3 cm; the margin is entire. They are fan shaped and have imbricated arrangement.

There are several petaloids present in the center, about 19 per flower. They have near dark purple red colour (Group 59B) on the upper surface and near medium purple colour (Group 70B) on the under surface. The length of the petaloids is about 15 to 25 mm, and the width is about 5 to 20 mm, surface texture is velvety.

Fragrance:
The fragrance on the rose variety ‘Luxor’ is absent.

Reproductive parts:
The stamens, filaments and anthers irregularly arranged around styles. The colour of the stamens and of the filaments closer to the lower part is light yellow (Group 10B) and orange red (Group 41C) closer to the upper part. Their length is about 3 to 4 mm.

The pollen has near grey brown colour (Group 199C).

The styles have uneven length, between 1 and 1.5 cm; they are very thin.

Stigmas have near medium yellow orange colour (Group 13C).

Hips and seeds have not been observed.

PLANT
The rose variety ‘Luxor’ is classified as Hybrid Tea rose. Has vigorous and strong growth habit. Forms very upright, slightly outwardly plant with long and strong stems. The average height of the mature and well-established plant is about 100 - 150 cm, and the width of the plant by the end of the season is about 50 to 70 cm.

Foliage:
There is a normal quantity of foliage on this rose variety. The leaves are compound, the number of leaflets varies from 3, 5 and to 7. The leaves are large, there are approximately 14 leaves per normal flowering stem.

Leaflets:
The leaflets are large, about 10 cm long and about 6 cm wide. The shape of the leaflet is elliptic, with rounded base and acuminate apex. The texture on the upper surface is glossy and on the underside is matte. The edges are serrated, the type of serration is medium and single.

The colour of the new foliage on the upper side is near medium brown purple (Group 181A) and on the underside is near brown red (Group 180C). The mature foliage on the upper side is near dark green (Group 139A) and on the underside is near medium brown green (Group 147B).

The petiole has a length of about 2 mm; the colour of the upper surface is near medium brown purple (Group 185B) and on the under surface is near medium brown (Group 166B).

The stipules are about 1.5 cm long, the colour is near dark brown green (Group 137B).

The auricle normally is not observed on the leaves of this variety.

The surface of the rachis on the upper surface is flat; on the underside is rounded with prickles.

Wood:
The new wood has a near light green colour (Group145B) and medium brown green (Group 146C), the bark is smooth. The mature wood has a near medium brown green colour (Group 147B) to light green colour (Group 149D), the bark is smooth with some rough patches.

Stems:
The flowering stems have a length of about 80 to 90 cm.

Prickles:
There is a normal quantity of prickles on this variety. On the lower portion of stem there are about 3 to 4 prickles between internodes; on upper part of the stems there are usually no prickles. The prickles mostly short, have deep concave shape; the length is about 0.7 cm; the width of the basis is about 0.4 cm. The colour of the young prickles is medium brown (Group 175B) and the mature prickles have medium brown colour (Group 175A).

Small prickles:
The small prickles are not observed on the stems of this rose variety.

Disease resistance:
The rose variety ‘Luxor’ has moderate resistance to black spot. The resistance to Mildew is good. The resistance to rust and botrytis is very good. Pest resistance has not been tested.

The variety is recommended for growing in greenhouse for cut flower production. Can be grown in a garden in climate zones similar to USDA zones 6 and warmer, in colder climates requires winter protection.

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

ORIGIN OF THE VARIETY
The rose variety ‘RUIY5991’ / ‘Luxor’ is classified as Hybrid Tea rose class, which was created by crossing as seed parent an unnamed, undistributed seedling with a pollen parent, unpatented variety known as ‘RUIZON’.

BACKGROUND OF THE VARIETY

SUMMARY OF THE VARIETY
Among the distinctive characteristics possessed by this variety are continuous and profuse flowering habit and its attractive red and white bicolor flowers.

Asexual reproduction by propagation by grafting of this rose variety, as performed in De Kwakel, The Netherlands, showed that the foregoing and other distinguishing characteristics come true to form and are established and transmitted through succeeding propagation.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTS
Among other respects, ‘RUIY5991’ / ‘Luxor’ differs from its parents in flower color:

The seed parent has flowers that are also red inside and white outside, however the red color of the variety ‘RUIY5991’ / ‘Luxor’ is brighter than the colour of the seed parent.

Th pollen parent has red flowers, whereas ‘RUIY5991’ / ‘Luxor’ has flowers that are red inside and white outside.

USDA zone 6 and warmer