Rose Metropolitan

A magnificent rose with large high-centered flowers, whose pure white contrasts with the very dark green foliage. The fragrance is delicate with fruity notes, with original combinations of banana, peach and apricot, white lily and lily of the valley.

DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY
The chart used in the identification of the colors is that of The Royal Horticultural Society (R.H.S. Colour Chart).

FLOWERING
This rose has very abundant and nearly continuous flowering habit. Blooms from early summer and until frosts.

Flower bud:
The flower buds are medium sized, have elongated ovoid shape. The length of the sepals is approximately 2 cm on average. As the calyx breaks, the flower buds have white colour (Group 155A) on the upper and on the under surface and is slightly suffused with light green (Group 145C). The basal petal spot is not observed on. The flower buds appear on a flowering stem mostly singly, and sometimes up to three flowers per stem.

The Peduncle is rigid, has a near medium brown green colour (Group 137C), and the length is approximately 5 to 6 cm on average.

The colour of the upper surface of the sepals is consistent and near medium brown green (Group 137D) while the under surface is tomentose and near light green (Group 138C). The sepals have elongated shape with small extensions on a 3 of 5 sepals.

The receptacle is smooth, has near medium brown green colour (Group 137D), and funnel-shaped in longitudinal section. The length commonly is approximately 8 mm to 1 cm on average and the width commonly is about 6 to 8 mm.

Bloom:
The flowers are large and have classic Hybrid Tea high-centered shape. The diameter of the open flower is approximately 8 to 11 cm on average.

The colour of the just opened flower on the upper surface is near yellow-white (Group 158C) and on the under surface is near yellow-white (Group 158D); the basal petal spot is not observed. As the flower ages the colour changes to pure white.

The flowers have veery good lasting quality: the blossoms commonly last approximately 10 days on the plant on average and about same tenor as a cut flower.

Petals:
The number of petals varies from 25 to 30 on average under normal growing conditions. Petaloids are not observed on flowers of this variety. The shape of the petals is without undulation and slightly reflexing at the margin. The petals arrangement is imbricated.

The petals commonly detaching cleanly before drying.

Fragrance:
The fragrance is moderate and resembles sweet rose with fruity notes, an original combinations of banana, peach and apricot, white lily and lily of the valley.

Reproductive parts:
There are approximately 250 stamens per flower.

The anthers are regularly arranged around the styles and have light orange colour (Group 24C).

The pollen is present and is nearly light orange in colour (Group 24C).

The filaments are light yellow (Group 4D), and approximately 0.4 cm long.

There are approximately 195 pistils per flower on average.

The stigmas dark red (Group 45B) and approximately 1 mm in size.

The styles are dark red (Group 45B) and approximately 5 to 6 mm long.

Hips were not observed yet.

PLANT
This rose variety is classified as a Hybrid Tea rose. It has strong, vigorous growth habit. The variety has semi-erect and bushy growth habit. The mature and well-established plant has a height of about 80 – 130 cm at the end of the growing season and the width of about 60 - 80 cm on average at the end of the growing season.

Foliage:
There is normal quantity of the foliage on this rose variety. The number of leaflets varies from 3, but most often 5 to 7.

The stipules are adnate, pectinate, and rather broad.

The colour of petioles on the upper surface is near dark green (Group 131A) and ion the under surface is near dark brown green (Group 146B). Their length is approximately 1.8 to 2 cm for the terminal leaflet.

Leaflets:
The shape of the leaflets is elliptical and lanceolate with a rounded base and an acuminate tip. The terminal leaflets commonly is about 4 to 5 cm in length and approximately 3 cm in width on average. The edges are serrated, the type of serration is single and fine. The texture is firm; the general appearance is dense, dark green with a semi-glossy aspect, and thick.

The colour of the young leaflets on the upper surface is near dark green (Group 137A) suffused with some near dark red (Group 47A); the under surface has near medium brown green (Group 137C) suffused with dark red (Group 47A). The colour of the adult foliage on the upper surface is near dark green (Group 131A) and on the under surface is near dark brown green Group 147A.

Wood:
The colour of the young stems is near medium brown green (Group 137C), the bark is smooth. The adult wood has near dark brown green colour (Group 137B), the bark is smooth with some rough patches and stripes.

Prickles:
Per 18 cm of young stems there are about 30 prickles of more than 5 mm in length and commonly none less than 5 mm in length. Per 19 mm of adult stems there us approximately 50 prickles on average of more than 5 mm in length and commonly none less than 5 mm in length. The colour of the prickles is near medium brown (Group 175A) on young stems, and near dark brown (Group 166A) on adult stems. The shape of the prickles is rather upright and curved downwards on the upper surface and concave under surface.

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

Disease resistance:
The resistance to diseases is good, particularly to oidium and black spot. Resistance to mildew is good.

The variety is recommended for growing in climate zones similar to USDA 7 and in colder climates requires winter protection.

Since 2004 in Japan by Keisei Rose Nurseries this variety is sold as 'Oscar François'. Named after Oscar François de Jarjayes (オスカル・フランソワ・ド・ジャルジェ, Osukaru Furansowa do Jaruje) and is a fictional character created by Japanese manga artist Riyoko Ikeda. She is a major character in the 1972 manga series The Rose of Versailles, and its various adaptations and spin-offs.

Gold Medal, Perfume Prize and Journalists Prize, Rome, Italy, 2003

ORIGIN OF THE VARIETY
The rose variety ‘Meifaissel’ was created by artificial pollination wherein two parents were crossed which previously had been studied in the hope that they would contribute the desired characteristics:

The female parent (i.e., the seed parent) was the ‘Meban’ / ‘White Knight’, a Hybrid Tea rose from MEilland, 1955.

The male parent (i.e., the pollen parent) was the product of the cross of the ‘Poulari’ / ‘Karen Blixen’, A Hybrid Tea from Poulsen Roser A/S, 1990 and the ‘Lady Sylvia’, a Hybrid Tea rose from Glendon A. Stevens, 1925.

The parentage of the new variety can be summarized as follows:

‘Meban’ / ‘White Knight’ × [‘Poulari’ / ‘Karen Blixen’ × ‘Lady Sylvia’]

SUMMARY OF THE VARIETY
The seeds resulting from the above mentioned pollination were sown and small plants were obtained which were physically and biologically different from each other. Selective study resulted in the identification of a single plant of the new variety. It was found that the new variety ‘Meifaissel’:

  exhibits a very vigorous semi-erect growth habit,

  abundantly forms on a nearly continuous basis attractive white high-centered blossoms having moderate fruty fragrance,

  forms dense dark green foliage having a semi-glossy aspect that contrasts well with the blossom coloration, and

  is particularly well suited for growing as attractive ornamentation in the landscape.

The new variety ‘Meifaissel’ meets the needs of the horticultural industry and can be grown to advantage in parks and garden.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTS
The rose variety ‘Meifaissel’ can be easily distinguished from its ancestors:

For instance, the ‘Meban’ / ‘White Knight’ variety forms white blossoms having approximately 33 petals having no fragrance and light green foliage.

The ‘Poulari’ / ‘Karen Blixen’ variety forms blossoms in clusters having a very slight fragrance and medium green glossy foliage.

The ‘Lady Sylvia’ variety forms light pink blossoms.

USDA zone 7 and warmer