Rose Roald Dahl

‘Roald Dahl’ is a charming English shrub rose that begins with soft orange-red buds, opening into beautifully formed, medium-sized cupped rosettes of warm apricot. The blooms are delightfully fragrant, carrying a fruity Tea scent, and are remarkably rain-resistant and long-lasting. Almost good enough to eat, his blooms are displayed on strong stems and are reminiscent in colour and shape of the eponymous giant peach in the tale of James and his magical adventures. This variety grows into a rounded, bushy, and exceptionally healthy plant with few prickles, making it perfect for family-friendly gardens.

DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

Throughout this description of the rose variety 'Roald Dahl' 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 recurrent flowering habit. Blooms in flushes with short breaks from summer until frosts. 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 'Roald Dahl' rose variety are medium sized, about 1.9 cm long and 1.6 cm in diameter when the petals start to unfurl. The bud form is pointed globular. When the sepals first divide, the bud color is light yellow green (Group 1C) with orange red (Group 35B). When half open, the upper sides of the petals and the lower sides of the petals are light yellow (Group 2D).

Calyx is star-shaped when fully opened with the sepals folding back, the length is about 7.0 cm and the diameter is 7.0 cm.

The sepals have a length of about 2.4 cm and a width of 0.9 cm. The shape of the sepals is lanceolate, the surface texture is downy on the upper surface and smooth on the lower surface. The colour on the upper surface is light green (Group 145B) and on the lower surface is medium green (Group 143C) with some orange-red (Group N34C). There are 3 lightly appendaged sepals and there are 2 unappendaged sepals with hairy edges.

The receptacle is medium green (Group 143B), apple shaped and has a smooth surface. The size of the receptacle is medium, about 1 cm long and about 0.9 cm in diameter.

The peduncle is short, averaging to about 9 cm in length, of a normal strength and has a glandular surface. The colour of the peduncle is medium green (Group 143B).

Bloom:

The flowers are medium, the average diameter of the open flower is about 6.5 cm. When first open, the flower form is cupped, the flower form persists until the end, when fully opens becoming more flat, rosette shaped, outer petals curl back. Flowers are full, the number of petals under normal conditions is 55. They are born in small clusters, of 3-7 blooms, having rounded shape. The flowering stem has normal strength, has an average length of about 15 cm.and a diameter of about 5 mm.

When first open the colour of the upper sides and the reverse sides of the petals are light yellow (Group 10D), the base of the petals has a basal spot of medium yellow (Group 12A). Under normal growing conditions no variegation is observed on the flowers of this rose variety.

The general tonality at the end of the first day is light yellow (Group 10D), at the end of the third day the general tonality becomes lighter, buff yellow (Group N10D).

Petals:

The texture of the petals and the surface is smooth; the shape of the petals is obovate, the margins are heavily notched. The apex is rounded, although notched with some large incisions and the base of the petals is acute, and the petals form is incurved. Average length of the petals is about 3.5 cm and the width is about 3.5 cm. The arrangement of the petals is irregular.

Normally there are few petaloids present in the center of the flowers, 15-20 on average. Petaloids have light yellow colour (Group 10D), they are about 2.5 mm long and 1.0 mm width. Petaloids have a narrow obovate shape with 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 4-5 days, as a cut flower their lastingness had not been tested.

Fragrance:

The fragrance of the rose 'Roald Dahl' is moderate, of a pleasant Tea character.

Reproductive parts:

The number of stamens is 60 on average per flower, the length is about 10 mm, they are regular around styles with some mixed with petaloids.

The anthers have a length of about 3 mm and medium yellow orange colour (Group 14C).

The colour of the filaments is dark yellow (Group 14B), their length is 7 mm on average.

The pollen is dark yellow (Group 14A), the amount of the pollen is abundant.

The number of pistils is 25 on average, they are about 2 mm long.

The colour of the styles is medium yellow green (Group 151C) and they are about 1.5 mm long.

Stigma are about 0.5 mm long and have medium yellow green colour (Group 151C).

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

PLANT

The rose variety 'Roald Dahl' is classified as a Shrub rose. This rose variety is endowed with sturdiness and exceptional health, crafting an appealing, well-rounded, and bushy shrub. Mature and well-established plant has a height of about 90 -120 cm and the width of about 90 - 110 cm. An ideal choice for gardens frequented by children and pets, given its minimal thorn presence yet spectacular flowering. Flourishing seamlessly in mixed borders or capacious pots, it also demonstrates shade tolerance and suits compact spaces admirably.

Foliage:

There is a normal quantity of the foliage on the plants of this rose variety. The number of leaflets on normal mid-stem is typically 5, including the terminal leaflet. The average flowering stem has about 10 leaves. The foliage is medium sized, about 13.5 cm long and about 11 cm wide.

The colour of the juvenile foliage on the upper side is dark green brown (Group 152B) while the lower side is medium brown purple (Group 184B). The mature foliage on the upper side is dark brown green (Group 146A) and on the lower side is medium brown green (Group 137D).

Leaflets:

The leaflets are medium sized, about 6 cm long and are about 4.2 cm wide. The shape of the leaflets is round, the shape of the leaflet tip is acuminate and the base shape is obtuse. The surface texture of the leaflets is leathery, semi-glossy. The edges are serrated, the type of serration is single and medium.

The petiole has medium green colour (Group 143C) with medium brown purple (Group 184B), is about 4 cm long and 2 mm in diameter, has a glandular surface with prickles on underside.

The petiole rachis is medium brown purple (Group 184B) with medium green colour (Group 143C), and has prickles on the underside.

The auricle is lanceolate, has a length of about 1.2 cm and about 2 mm wide. The colour of the auricle is medium green (Group 143C).

The stipules are 3 cm long, have smooth glandular surface and edges, medium green in colour (Group 143C).

The veins have _dark brown green (Group 146A) colour, the venation pattern is reticulate.

Wood:

The new wood of this rose variety has medium brown purple colour (Group 184B), the bark is smooth. The mature wood is medium green (Group 143C), the bark remains smooth.

Stems:

The number of lateral branches is 4 on average, they have a length of about 40 cm and the diameter is 5 mm on average. The mature stem has an average length of about 60 cm and the diameter of 7 mm, the internode distance is 6-7 cm 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, about 5 per 10 cm of the stem length. On the laterals from main canes there are also few prickles, about 3 per 10 cm of the stem length. The shape of the prickles is deep concave, the length is about 4 mm. The colour of the young prickles is medium green (Group 143C) while the mature prickles have medium brown colour (Group 166C).

Small prickles:

The small prickles are not observed on the main canes and on the laterals from the main canes of this rose variety.

Disease resistance:

The rose variety 'Roald Dahl' has good resistance to most common rose diseases, in particular it is resistant to mildew, blackspot and rust under normal growing conditions. The pest resistance has not been tested yet.

Rose variety is recommended for growing in climate conditions similar to USDA 5 and requires winter protection in more colder climates.

According to David Austin Roses Limited this rose is named to mark the 2016 centenary of Roald Dahl’s birth, with the approval of his wife, Liccy Dahl. As of Y2023 the sales of this rose raised £100,000 for Roald Dahl’s Marvellous Children’s Charity which provides specialist nurses and support for seriously ill children.

English Shrub Roses

ORIGIN OF THE VARIETY

Rose variety ‘Ausowlish’ / 'Roald Dahl' originated by David Austin 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 rose variety with flowers of peach coloring, with young buds that are yellow flushed with a soft orange-red, and that form medium-sized, cupped rosette blooms which are robust and stand up to inclement weather when fully opened, and that have a medium strength tea 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:

 peach colored blossoms, with buds that show some yellow with orange-red sepals as they begin to open;

 robust cupped rosette blooms;

 few thorns;

 medium-strength tea fragrance;

 mid-green foliage;

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 maternal and paternal parents of ‘AUSowlish’ are two unnamed seedlings. The new rose may be distinguished from its maternal parent, by the following combination of characteristics:. The new rose may be distinguished from its pollen parent, by the following combination of characteristics: the paternal parent has.

The ‘Ausowlish’ / ‘Roald Dahl’ may be distinguished from its seed parent, by the following combination of characteristics:

 the seed parent has a more orange coloring, fewer petals and a more lax growth compared to ‘Ausowlish’ / ‘Roald Dahl’.

The ‘Ausowlish’ / ‘Roald Dahl’ may be distinguished from its pollen parent by the following combination of characteristics:

 The pollen parent a more yellow color with fewer petals and a more upright growth ‘Ausowlish’ / ‘Roald Dahl’.

COMPARISON WITH THE CLOSEST COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE CULTIVAR

The most similar rose cultivars to the ‘Ausowlish’ / ‘Roald Dahl’ are the ‘Ausnyson’ / ‘Lady of Shalott’ and ‘Ausjo’ / ‘Jude the Obscure’ and they may be distinguished by the following combination of characteristics:

 The rose ‘Ausowlish’ / ‘Roald Dahl’ may be distinguished from the ‘Ausnyson’ / ‘Lady of Shalott’ and ‘Ausjo’ / ‘Jude the Obscure’ roses based on the color of their buds, while ‘Ausowlish’ / ‘Roald Dahl’ has a bud color that is a combination of light yellow (Group 2D) and of orange red (Group 35B), ‘Ausnyson’ / ‘Lady of Shalott’ has a bud color of dark purple red (Group 53A) and ‘Ausjo’ / ‘Jude the Obscure’ has a bud color of medium yellow orange (Group 20A).

 Further, when the flower is open the color of the ‘Ausowlish’ / ‘Roald Dahl’ bloom is light yellow (Group 10D) compared with orange red (Group 34C) for ‘Ausnyson’ / ‘Lady of Shalott’ and medium yellow orange (Group 13C) for ‘Ausjo’ / ‘Jude the Obscure’.

 Finally, both ‘Ausnyson’ / ‘Lady of Shalott’ and ‘Ausjo’ / ‘Jude the Obscure’ have many prickles, whereas ‘Ausowlish’ / ‘Roald Dahl’ has few prickles.

USDA zone 5 and warmer