Rose Pegasus

Romantic rose with apricot, camelia-like, very full, nostalgic flowers. The beauty of the flowers is complimented by wonderful strong tea rose fragrance.

Flower buds are about 3.8cm (1.5 inches) long when the petals start to unfurl. The bud form is blunt topped, squarish. When sepals first divide, bud color is dark brown purple (RHS 184A). When half blown, the upper sides of the petals are very pale, almost light yellow (4D) or light yellow orange (RHS 11D) but paler; the lower sides of the petals are light yellow (RHS 4D) or light yellow orange (RHS 19D); and base of both sides of petal is deeper medium yellow (RHS 9C).

Sepals are light green (RHS 144B) and brown-red (RHS 180B). Surface texture leathery, slightly glandular, slightly hirsute. There are three lightly appendaged sepals. There are two unappendaged sepals with smooth, slightly glandular hairy edges.

Receptacles are light-green (RHS 144B) and brown red (RHS 180B). Shape - funnel, cup, they are medium sized, broad, about 1 cm × 1 cm (0.4 inches × 0.4 inches). Surface - finely hairy. Peduncle’s length is medium, averaging about 3.8cm (1.5 inches). Surface - finely hirsute, slightly glandular; color light green, bronzy; slightly bending.

Flowers are medium sized, with average open diameter is 9 cm (3.5 inches), borne several together in small clusters of irregular shape having up to 10 flowers per stem. Stems are long to medium, normal; average length is about 45 – 60 cm (18-24 inches).

When the flowers first open, they are cupped, and as the flower ages it flattens, petals curl, outer petals curl back, all somewhat quilled. The number of petals under normal conditions is about 110.

The color of the middle one third of petals - the upper sides of the petals are of medium yellow orange (RHS 22C); the reverse sides of the petals are light yellow orange (RHS 23D). The base of each of the petals intensifies to medium yellow (RHS 12B). The major color on the upper side is medium yellow orange (RHS 22C). Outer quarter to one third of petals are very pale yellow (RHS 4D) or light yellow orange (RHS 11D), but paler. Inner quarter to one third of petals on upper side are a very deep light yellow orange (RHS 23B), and on reverse side light orange (RHS 24B/C). Variegations - none.

The general tonality of the flowers at the end of the first day becomes slightly paler; at the end of the third day even more paler, less orange.

‘Pegasus’ has strong tea rose fragrance.

Petals have quite leathery texture in older flowers, medium thick, silky when young. The shape of the outer petals is broad, notched, deltoid, heart-shaped; the inner petals are narrower, longer heart-shaped, notched. Their edges moderately quilled. The petals are informally arranged, with a few large petaloids in the center, the inner petals and petaloids caught into calyx. Petals drop off cleanly before drying.

Flowers lasts on the plan for quite a long time - about six days, and as a cut flower fairly long - about four days. Reproductive parts. Anthers have medium size, they are many and have yellow colour; arrangement - tucked in calyx or partly so, mixed with petaloids. Filaments and pollen are yellow. Styles light green (RHS 157B), some cerise streaks at top. Stigmas are yellow.

‘Pegasus’ has vigorous, upright, branching, sprawling type of growth. A mature plant about 120 – 150 cm (4 - 5 feet) in height and 120 – 130 cm (3.5 - 4 feet) in width. The number of leaflets on normal mid-stem leaves is 7, they grow in abundance. Leaves are large, about 16.5 – 17.7 cm (6.5-7.0 inches) high, wide. The new foliage has dark brown green colour (RHS 148A) and dark brown purple (RHS 184A) blush. New growth markedly red. Old foliage is dark brown green (RHS 147A).

Leaflets have oval to pointed oval, texture of the upper side is leathery, edges are serrated. Their serration is more or less single, shallow. Petiole rachis has reddish colour. Petiole underside with prickles, 0-2 per internode. Stipules are medium, serrated, about 0.8 inches.

The plant’s wood has reddish colour - dark brown purple (RHS 184A), eventually turning green, the bark is smooth. There are ordinary number of prickles on the main canes and laterals from the main canes; they are long to medium, hooked downward and have red colour when young, evenly distributed around stem. Small prickles are absent on the main stalks and on laterals.

This particular variety proved to have a good resistance to mildew and blackspot under normal growing conditions at Albrighton, Wolverhampton, England.

Named for a charity known as 'Riding for the Disabled' and it refers to the winged horse of Greek mythology.

English Shrub Roses

‘Pegasus’ / ‘Ausmoon’ was originated by crossing the seed parent variety ‘Graham Thomas’ / ‘Ausmas’ by David Austin with the pollen parent variety ‘Pascali’ / ‘LENip’ by Louis Lens.

The primary objective of this breeding was to produce a new shrub rose variety having repeat flowering and disease resistance, with old-fashioned shaped attractive apricot/yellow flowers. The objective was substantially achieved, along with other desirable improvements, as evidenced by the following unique combination of characteristics that are outstanding in the new variety and that distinguish it from its parents, as well as from all other varieties: - Paler yellow, richer apricot flowers than Graham Thomas. - Camellia type flatter flowers, fuller than either parent. - Bushy habit - less upright than parents. - Very good scent--stronger than Graham Thomas.

Asexual reproduction of this new variety by budding, as performed at Albrighton, Wolverhampton, England, shows that the foregoing and all other characteristics and distinctions come true to form and are established and transmitted through succeeding propagations.

USDA zone 5 and warmer