Rose Princess Alexandra of Kent

Exceptionally large flowers with a high number of petals, displaying a warm and radiant pink hue. The blooms are deeply cupped, featuring a surrounding ring of soft pink outer petals that enclose the inner ones. For optimal aesthetics and balanced growth, it is recommended to plant them in groups of three. The delightful Tea fragrance of these roses carries hints of lemon and blackcurrants as it develops. This variety is known for its robust health.

DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY
Throughout this description below the color references and/or values are based upon 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.

FLOWER
‘Princess Alexandra of Kent’ has a recurrent blooming habit. The number of blooms per plant during the growing season is profuse, but there are too many to count.

Flower bud:
The flower bud is large, about 2.5 cm (1 inch) long and 2.5 cm (1 inch) in diameter, when the petals start to unfurl, the shape is globular. When the sepals first divide, the bud color is dark purple red (Group 46A). When half blown, the upper sides of the petals are dark orange (Group 31B), and the lower sides of the petals are medium red Group 42C.

Calyx when viewed from above has irregularly rounded shape, the length is about 1.8 cm (0.7 inch) and diameter is about 2 cm (0.8 inch).

The arrangement of sepals is regular, the colour of the upper surface is light green (Group 138C), and the lower surface is medium brown green (Group 138B). The sepals are large, with length of about 2.2 cm (0.8 inch) and the width is about 1.3 cm (0.5 inch). They have subulate shape, the texture of the upper surface is pubescent while the lower surface is smooth and glossy. There are three lightly appendaged sepals and 2 unappendaged sepals. The sepal apex has weak extensions, and the margin is typical, the observed unappended sepals have smooth edges.

Receptacles are medium brown green (Group 138A) with irregular patches of dark brown purple (Group 183A). The receptacles is relatively small, with height of about 1 cm (0.4 inch) and 1.4 cm (0.6 inch) in diameter the shape is funnel, surface is smooth.

Peduncle is long and strong, averaging about 15 cm (6 inches) and having diameter of about 3 mm (1/4 inch). The surface is smooth, of a medium green colour (Group 144A) overlaid with patches of dark brown purple (Group 178A).

Bloom:
Flowers ‘Princess Alexandra of Kent’ are very large, average open diameter is about 11 cm (4.3 inches). When the flower observed from the side, the typical bloom depth is about 5 cm (2 inches). Flowers are born in small clusters of 1-4 blooms having corymb-shaped inflorescence. When first open, the flowers have cupped flower form, which is retained until the end of flowering.

The flowering stems have normal strength, the average length is about 40-50 cm (15.7-19.7 inches) and the average diameter is about 3 mm (1/4 inch).

The colour of the upper sides of the petals and of the reverse sides of the petals is medium purple red (Group 54A). The base of the petals is orange red (Group 35B).

The general tonality of the flower at the end of the first day is medium purple red (Group 54A) and changes to medium blue pink (Group 68B) at the end of the third day.

As a cut flower has an average lastingness of about 3 to 4 days. On the plant the flower lasts fairly long, about 5 to 6 days under normal growing conditions.

Petals:
The number of petals under normal conditions is 130 on average. The petals have smooth, satiny texture and smooth surface. The average petals width is about 2.9 cm (1.1 inches) and the length is 4 cm (1.6 inches) on average. Their shape is obovate, with notched margin, emarginate apex and pointed base. The petals have an incurved shape with tips slightly recurved on some, the petals arrangement is informal.

The number of petaloids is about 7-10 per flower, having irregular margins and shape. The colour of their petal is light violet (Group 75A), is about 18mm (0.71 in) long and 15 mm (0.59 in) wide; the anther is medium yellow orange (Group 20A) and 2 mm (0.08 in) long; the filament is dark yellow (Group 15A) and 5 mm (0.20 in) long.

Petals hang on and dry.

Fragrance:
The fragrance is strong, having tea character which changes to lemon, eventually taking on hints of blackcurrants.

Reproductive parts:
The numbers of stamens per flower is about 75 on average with length of 7 mm (0.28 in).

Anthers are 2 mm (0.08 in) long, medium yellow orange (Group 20A), mixed with petaloids.

Filaments have length of 5 mm (0.20 in) and dark yellow colour (Group 15A).

Pollen is medium yellow orange (Group 21A).

The number of pistils is about 90, their length is about 10 mm (0.40 in).

Styles are light yellow green (Group 154D) and 10 mm (0.40 in) long.

Stigmas have dark yellow colour (Group 15A) and are about 1 mm (0.04 in) long.

Hips – not observed.

PLANT
Forms medium shrub with moderate growth strength, upright, quite bushy, slightly rounded. Well established plant is about 100 – 125 cm (3”) tall and has a bush width of about 80 – 125 cm (2-3”).

Foliage:
The number of leaflets on normal mid-stem leaves is 5-7, including terminal leaflet. The foliage is medium, about 14 cm (5.51 inches) long and 8.75 cm (3.44 inches) wide on average. The quantity of the foliage on the plant is normal. The number of leaves per flowering stem is 8-10.

The colour of the new foliage on the upper side and on the lower side is dark brown purple (Group 183B). The old foliage is dark green on the upper side (Group 137A) and dark brown green (Group 137B) on the lower side.

Leaflets:
Leaflets are medium sized, about 4.6 cm (1.81 inches) long, and 4 cm (1.57 inches) wide. The shape of the leaflets is broadly oval, with rounded base and cuspidate apex; the texture is smooth and the edges are serrated, type of serration - double.

Petiole is dark brown green (Group 137B), about 4 cm (1.57 inches) long and 2 mm (0.08 in) wide, with prickly surface texture.

Petiole rachis also has dark brown green (Group 137B), the underside with prickles.

Stipules has length of about 9.5 cm (3.74 inches), serrated/glandular, dark brown green in colour (Group 137B).

Auricle is awl-shaped, dark brown green (Group 137B), about 10-15 mm (0.4 – 0.6 in) long and 2 mm (0.04 in) wide, at the base tapering to point.

The vein colour is light green (Group 145C), the venation pattern is reticulate.

Wood:
The new wood is dark purple red (Group 185A) with smooth bark. The old wood is medium green (Group 143A), the bark is smooth with rough patches and lines.

Stems:
‘Princess Alexandra of Kent’ has branching habit, there are usually 2 branches per main stem. The lateral branches are 24 cm (9.45 inches) long and have a diameter of 5 mm (0.1 in) on average. The mature stems have length of about 90 cm (35.43 inches) and diameter of 4 mm (0.08 in) on average. They are medium green (Group 143A), having internode distance of about 12 cm (4.72 inches). The above measurements are all variable, depending on growing conditions in a season. Stem pubescence not present.

Prickles:
The number prickles on the main canes from base is ordinary. There are about 7 prickles per 5 cm (1.97 inches) of the stem’s length. On laterals from main canes there are few prickles, about 5 per 5 cm (1.97 inches). The prickles have hooked downward form, about 10 mm (0.39 inches) long. The color when young is dark brownish purple (Group 183C), when mature is greyed-brown (Group 199B).

Small prickles:
There are usually few small prickles on the main stalks, the number per stem length is about 3 per 10 cm (3.94 inches).

On the laterals from main stalks there are a few small prickles, about 3 per 10 cm (3.94 inches) of the stem’s length and located mostly on the bottom third of the stem only. The color when young is dark brownish purple (Group 183C), turning to greyed-brown (Group 199B) with age.

Disease resistance:
The variety is resistant to both Powdery Mildew and Downy Mildew. The resistance to blackspot and rust is good. Tends to get affected with black spots in wet and cold weather. Has very good resistance to botrytis.

Pest resistance – not tested.

This rose was dedicated and named after Princess Alexandra, who is a cousin to Queen Elizabeth II. She is a keen gardener and great lover of roses.

English Shrub Rose

Winner of the fragrance award at the 2009 Glasgow, Scotland trials

ORIGIN OF THE VARIETY
The rose variety ‘AUSmerchant’ / ‘Princess Alexandra of Kent’ was bred by David Austin by crossing two unnamed, unpatented varieties of Rosa hybrida.

BACKGROUND OF THE VARIETY
The primary objective of the breeding was to produce a very healthy repeat flowering variety having large, pink blooms with a strong fragrance and strong rounded growth.

SUMMARY OF THE VARIETY
Among the main features which distinguish this rose variety from other available and commercial rose cultivars are large, pink blooms with a strong fragrance and strong rounded growth.

Asexual reproduction of the new variety by budding as performed in greenhouses at Bowling Green Lane in Albrighton, Britain showed that the foregoing and other distinguishing characteristics come true to form and are established and transmitted through succeeding asexual propagations. ‘Ausmerchant’ / ‘Princess Alexandra of Kent’ may be asexually propagated by budding and grafting.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTS
‘Ausmerchant’ / ‘Princess Alexandra of Kent’ may be distinguished from its seed parent, by the following combination of characteristics: whereas the parent has bright crimson blooms and very light fragrance, ‘Ausmerchant’ / ‘Princess Alexandra of Kent’ bears flowers of pink and a strong fragrance.

‘Ausmerchant’ / ‘Princess Alexandra of Kent’ may be distinguished from its pollen parent, by the following combination of characteristics: whereas the pollen parent bears rich crimson blooms, ‘Ausmerchant’ / ‘Princess Alexandra of Kent’ bears flowers of a warm pink.

COMPARISON WITH THE CLOSEST COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE CULTIVAR
The closest commercially available cultivar to the new variety is the ‘Aushunter’ / ‘Jubilee Celebration'. The ‘Ausmerchant’ / ‘Princess Alexandra of Kent’ may be distinguished from the ‘Aushunter’ / ‘Jubilee Celebration' variety by the following combination of characteristics: the ‘Aushunter’ / ‘Jubilee Celebration' has fewer petals, smaller blooms with a salmon color and darker leaves compared to ‘Ausmerchant’ / ‘Princess Alexandra of Kent’, which has a greater number of petals, warm pink blooms and lighter green leaves.

USDA zone 5 and warmer