Rose Robin Hood

'Robin Hood' is a vivid and exceptionally floriferous Hybrid Musk rose, bred in Great Britain by Joseph Hardwick Pemberton before 1927. Although its fragrance is light, this variety is valued above all as a strong, reliable, and highly decorative landscape rose. During flowering, the bush becomes almost completely hidden beneath enormous clusters of bright, sparkling cherry-crimson blooms, creating the striking impression of glowing crimson spheres in the garden. It is one of the brightest and most expressive musk roses, admired for its continuous flowering, graceful fountain-shaped habit, and decorative winter hips.

The flowers are small, single to semi-double, with 4 - 8 petals, measuring about 3 - 4 cm (1.2- 1.6 in) in diameter (occasionally up to 3 cm / 1.18 in in some descriptions). They are slightly cup-shaped and borne in very large, dense inflorescences, often drooping under their own weight and resembling hydrangea flower heads. The color ranges from cherry-red to crimson-red, frequently with a white base or “eye” at the center of each petal, accentuated by prominent golden stamens; some flowers show fine white streaks. The fragrance is light, pleasant, and attractive to bees.

Flowering is continuous and extremely abundant, lasting from June until October. Individual blooms are short-lived, but the sheer number of flowers ensures a long-lasting display. After flowering, the plant sets small, round, bright red rose hips, which add ornamental value in autumn and winter.

The shrub is compact, fountain-shaped, and neatly upright, with slightly drooping, flexible shoots. It forms a dense, rounded crown and reaches 120 - 150 cm (4 - 5 ft) in both height and width. The plants of this rose variety are moderately prickly and clothed in small, dark green, healthy foliage, which provides an excellent contrast to the vivid red flowers. Growth is vigorous and energetic, yet the plant retains a tidy, well-balanced form.

'Robin Hood' is a healthy, low-maintenance rose that blooms profusely over a long period. It is well suited for hedges, mixed borders, borders, group and solitary plantings, small gardens, containers, and even standard (tree) roses. It also performs well as a cut flower in floral arrangements. In open spaces, the bush is particularly impressive, as its flexible, flower-laden branches form a self-sufficient and highly ornamental structure.

The variety shows good resistance to diseases and frost. Winter hardiness corresponds to USDA Zones 6b - 10b (approximately −17 °C / 1.4 °F to −23 °C / −9.4 °F); it overwinters more reliably with protective covering in colder regions. It is shade tolerant and grows well in sun, partial shade, and even full shade, though flowering is most abundant with good light. This robust rose tolerates poor soils and withstands extreme weather conditions, including excessive rain or strong sun.

Pruning

Hybrid Musk roses do not tolerate severe pruning. 'Robin Hood' may be left largely unpruned to form dense shrubs. To encourage quality flowering and maintain vigor, it is recommended to remove spent flower clusters during summer and shorten shoots by about one third in winter or early spring. For musk roses in general, pruning should not exceed slightly more than one third of the bush height, as heavy cutting can weaken or even kill the plant.

Overall, 'Robin Hood' is a highly decorative shrub rose with extraordinarily lush, bright flowering until frost. Its vivid cherry-red blooms, arranged in massive clusters on a compact, fountain-shaped bush, make it a favorite among gardeners and landscape designers seeking bold color, reliability, and long-season impact.

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

Classic Shrub, Certificate, American Rose Society – Bay Country Rose Society Show, USA, 2001

It was created by crossing an unknown musk rose seedling with pollen from rose 'Miss Edith Cavell' (Polyantha, from De Ruiter, 1914). This variety remains very popular in international catalogs.

USDA 6