Rose Millicent

’Millicent’ is a true celebration of classic charm, a rose that evokes the grace and glamour of a bygone era. Her warm, mid-pink blooms gradually reveal delicate undertones of lilac and mauve, adding depth and sophistication to her vintage palette. The flowers are blousy and full, brimming with textured, swirling petals that unfurl into large, flat rosettes, each one a masterpiece of form and grace. Her scent is a refined blend of citrus and Old Rose, offering a medium-strength fragrance that lingers gently in the air.

DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

Throughout this description of the rose variety 'Millicent' 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, 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 during the growing season is profuse, but there are too many to count.

Flower bud:

The flower buds of 'Millicent' rose variety are medium sized, about 2.2 cm long and 1.75 cm in diameter when the petals start to unfurl. The bud form is long pointed ovoid. When the sepals first divide, the bud color is dark purple red (Group 60A). When half open, the upper sides of the petals are medium purple red (Group 55A) and the lower sides of the petals are medium blue pink (Group 55B).

Calyx is star-shaped when fully opened with the sepals folding back, the length is about 7 cm and the diameter is 7 cm.

The sepals have a length of about 2.9 cm and a width of 1.1 cm. The shape of the sepals is lanceolate, the surface texture is smooth, hairy on the upper surface and smooth on the lower surface. The colour on the upper surface is medium brown green (Group 147C) and on the lower surface is medium green (Group 143A). There are 3 lightly appendaged sepals and there are 2 unappendaged sepals with hairy edges.

The receptacle is light green (Group 144B), pitcher shaped and has a smooth surface. The size of the receptacle is medium, about 1 cm long and about 1.2 cm in diameter.

The peduncle is medium, averaging to about 6.3 cm in length, of a normal strength and has a rough, prickly 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 11 cm and average depth is about 4 cm. When first open, the flower form is cupped, as the flower fully opens the flower form becomes more flat, rosette, outer petal edges curl slightly. Flowers arevery full, the number of petals under normal conditions is 140 on average. They are born in singly or in small clusters, with the other blooms being nipped out for single bloom cut rose production.

When first open the colour of the upper sides of the petals is medium blue pink (Group 55B) and the reverse sides of the petals are medium blue pink (Group 55B) and light blue pink (Group 55C); the base of the petals has medium yellow colour (Group 12A). 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 medium red (Group 50A), at the end of the third day the general tonality becomes medium purple red (Group 55A).

Petals:

The texture of the petals is smooth and thick, the surface is smooth; the shape of the petals is round, pointed on the outer petals and obovate on the inner petals, the margins are entire. The apex is rounded and the base of the petals is accuminate, and the petals form is flat. Average length of the petals is about 4.9 cm and the width is about 4.3 cm. The arrangement of the petals is informal.

Normally there are few petaloids present in the center of the flowers, the number varies from 0 to 5. Petaloids have medium purple red colour (Group 55A), they are about 0.8 cm long and 0.6 cm width. Petaloids have obovate shape and irregular margins.

The petals of this rose variety have good self-cleaning quality, they normally drop off cleanly before drying. Under normal climate conditions the petals last fairly long, on the plant they last for about 10 days, as a cut flower their lastingness is 10 days on average.

Fragrance:

The fragrance of the rose 'Millicent' is strong, mix of the Fruity and Old Rose character.

Reproductive parts:

The number of stamens is 10-15 on average per flower, the length is about 6 mm, they are regularly arranged around styles.

The anthers have a length of about 3 mm and medium yellow colour (Group 5B).

The colour of the filaments is medium yellow (Group 5B), their length is 3 mm on average.

The pollen is medium yellow (Group 5B).

The number of pistils is 120-150 on average, they are about 8 mm long.

The colour of the styles is light grey green (Group 196D) and they are about 6 mm long.

Stigma are about 1 mm long and are of a medium yellow colour (Group 5C).

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

PLANT

The rose variety 'Millicent' is classified as a Shrub rose and is a part of David Austin’s Wedding and Event Roses collection. The growth character is vigorous, powerful and upright. Mature and well-established plant has a height of about 120 cm and the width of about 80 cm.

‘Millicent’ pairs beautifully with delicate, understated companions, making her an ideal choice for refined garden compositions. Her sophisticated pink tones blend effortlessly with soft pastels like blush, lilac, and sky blue, while also standing boldly alongside deeper hues such as hot pink, damson, and rich reds.

Foliage:

There is a sparse quantity of the foliage on the plants of this rose variety. The number of leaflets on normal mid-stem leaves is normally 5, including the terminal leaflet. The average flowering stem has about 3 - 5 leaves. The foliage is very large, about 20.5 cm long and about 16.4 cm wide.

The colour of the juvenile foliage on the upper side is dark purple red (Group 185A) with venation of a medium green colour (Group 143B) while the lower side is grey brown (Group 199B) with a tinge of light green (Group 144B). The mature foliage on the upper side is dark green (Group 137A) and on the lower side is dark brown green (Group 146A).

Leaflets:

The size of the leaflets is large, they are about 8.3 cm long and are about 5.6 cm wide. The shape of the leaflets is pointed oval, the shape of the leaflet tip is accuminate and the base shape is cordate. The surface texture of the leaflets is leathery, semi-glossy. The edges are serrated, the type of serration is single and large.

The petiole has light green colour (Group 145C) with perimeter of medium green (Group 143A), is about 4.3 cm long and 15 mm in diameter, and has a smooth surface texture.

The petiole rachis is light green colour (Group 145C) with perimeter of medium green (Group 143A), has smooth with prickles lower surface and smooth underside.

The auricle is lanceolate, has a length of about 0.5 cm and about 1 mm wide. The colour of the auricle is medium green (Group 143A).

The stipules are 1.5 cm long, have lateral shape, they are smooth and have acute apex, and are medium green (Group 143A).

The central veins have light green colour (Group 151A) and the rest of the venation having a dark brown green colour (Group 147A), the venation pattern is reticulate.

Wood:

The new wood of this rose variety has medium brown green colour (Group 146D), the bark is smooth. The mature wood is medium brown green (Group 146C) with streaks of medium brown purple (Group 186A), the bark remains smooth.

Stems:

The mature stem has an average length of about 90 cm and the diameter of 6 mm, the internode distance is 10 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 2-4 per 30 cm of the stem length. The shape of the prickles is hooked downward, deep concave, the length is about 6 mm. The colour of the young prickles is dark purple red (Group 59B); the mature prickles have dark purple red colour (Group 59B) as well.

Small prickles:

There are many small prickles on the main canes and on the laterals from the main canes of this rose variety, about 25 per 30 cm of the stem length. When they are young the colour is dark purple red (Group 59B) and the colour of the mature small prickles is also dark purple red (Group 59B).

Disease resistance:

The rose variety 'Millicent' is disease resistant, particularly to mildew, blackspot and rust in greenhouse conditions, with on average day temperature maintained at 17.5 degrees C. In the garden conditions it is somewhat susceptible to black spot and mildew. The pest resistance has not been tested yet.

Rose variety is recommended for growing in climate conditions similar to USDA 7 and requires winter protection in more colder climates.

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

Wedding and Event Roses collection

ORIGIN OF THE VARIETY

Rose variety ‘AUSCP17431’ / 'Millicent' originated in the nursery of David Austin Roses Limited (UK) in Albrighton, United Kingdom by Carl Bennett by crossing an unnamed, unpatented seedling with an unnamed, unpatented seedling.

BACKGROUND OF THE VARIETY

The primary objective of this rose variety breeding was to create a new cut rose variety bearing large blooms with many petals, a mid-pink color and a strong 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:

 mid-pink colored blooms that are many petalled with large full blooms;

 strong stems, a strong fragrance and growth habit suitable for cut rose production;

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 ‘AUSCP17431’ / ‘Millicent’ may be distinguished from its seed parent, by the following combination of characteristics:

 the seed parent has a flower which is yellow in color, with a high number of prickles, whereas ‘AUSCP17431’ / ‘Millicent’ variety has a mid-pink color and has less prickles.

The ‘AUSCP17431’ / ‘Millicent’ may be distinguished from its pollen parent by the following combination of characteristics:

 The pollen parent has yellow in color with much more lax growth which is not suitable for cut rose production, whereas ‘AUSCP17431’ / ‘Millicent’ has a mid-pink color with more upright, straight stems which are suitable for cut rose production.

COMPARISON WITH THE CLOSEST COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE CULTIVAR

The most similar rose cultivar to the ‘AUSCP17431’ / ‘Millicent’ is the the rose variety ‘Ausimmon’ / ‘Miranda’ and they may be distinguished by the following combination of characteristics:

 ‘Ausimmon’ / ‘Miranda’ exhibits a smaller bloom diameter when compared to ‘AUSCP17431’ / ‘Millicent’;

 ‘Ausimmon’ / ‘Miranda’ also exhibits a medium to strong fragrance as compared to the stronger fragrance of ‘AUSCP17431’ / ‘Millicent’;

 The petal count between the two roses is also different, with ‘Ausimmon’ / ‘Miranda’ having approximately 120 petals per bloom, and ‘AUSCP17431’ / ‘Millicent’ has approximately 140 petals per bloom.

USDA 7