Rose Rose de Resht

"Rose de Resht" rose is an amazing antique beauty, whose origin is quite controversial, since everyone desires to have this rose treasure in their collection, and its journey to our gardens is now difficult to trace. "Rose de Resht" belongs to the repeat-flowering Damascena roses, and the repeated blooming was probably enhanced through hybridization with some Chinese roses that arrived in Iran via the Silk Road. Since the rose was considered Old Persian, it could very well originate from the Middle Ages, like other Portland roses derived from Rosa x damascena 'Semperflorens' Loisel. Et.

This old variety, which might have been created by an unknown French or other European breeder and reached Persia via winding paths, has earned a mistaken reputation as a wild Persian rose. Its popularity there is owed to the wonderful fragrance of its petals – for a long time, the coveted rose oil was made from it. The rose was simultaneously discovered in 1868 by Dr. Heinrich Carl Haussknecht, a botanist from Weimar (Germany), who traveled extensively through the Middle Eastern countries from 1865 to 1869, in Bebehan (now Behbahan), 750 km south of the city of Resht, according to his diary: "in hortis" colitur Bebehan [in the cultivated gardens of Bebehan], of a purple color, June 1868) with the local name "Gul e Reschti" ("Rose de Resht").

Also, Ernest François Pissart, the gardener of Naser al-Din Shah Qajar (1831-1896), although he likely did not import the rose himself but sent it to France, where it was described as "Rosa Pissarti" in leading rose journals, as a decorative plant of the plum family "Prunier Pissard". After Haussknecht's description, there are traces of this rose's presence in Germany, as it was found in the northern area around Göttingen, growing there for over 100 years, but later it was forgotten.

This rose was cultivated in Northern Iran for a long time as a basic ingredient for rose oil. In Syria, "Rose de Resht" is often encountered, but it is called "Palmyra". It likely reached Algeria from there in the mid-19th century, and from there it arrived in the German Eifel. "Rose de Rescht" is cultivated in Iran under the name "Gul e Reschti" in the province of Gilan on the coast of the Caspian Sea. It has grown there for centuries and is undoubtedly one of the roses mentioned in Saadi's poems.

It is precisely known that the British traveler Nancy Lindsay (Great Britain) discovered this rose in Iran and brought it to England in the 1940s, finally reintroducing it to Europe in 1949 under the name "Rose de Resht". There it quickly captured the hearts of rose enthusiasts, as this variety, with its intense fragrance, can enchant even a connoisseur, and its flowers make it undoubtedly unique. Although it seems they are hidden in a dense foliage of small gray-green leaves, like dense pompons of bright fuchsia color, they sparkle among the leaves and stand out with their intense fragrance, since this variety originates from the Damask rose, the intensity of its heavy rose fragrance is not surprising. After the main flush, new flushes of flowers continue to appear until autumn. Furthermore, it captivates gardeners as an old variety with its strong and healthy foliage and resilience – the flowers are resistant to rain and withstand heat well, and it endures the cold season with good winter hardiness.

Description.

The buds are large, spherical, broad cup-shaped with an unusually flat tip, surrounded by dragon-like sepals. The flowers are small, with an average diameter of 2.5" (6-7 cm), very full (120-135 petals), and have the globular shape, or pompon rosette shaped with a button-eye in tightly formed rosettes, on short stems, in small clusters of 4 - 6.

The color is a rich bright purple-violet, an intense light lilac-red, or a rich pink-raspberry fuchsia with shades of violet. Very full, bright crimson-raspberry or ruby-red-purple flowers, similar to camellia blossoms. The fragrance is exceptional, sweet, moderately strong, Damask. Repeat flowering. The hips are red, medium-sized, vase-shaped, slightly asymmetrical, with attached sepals.

The shrub is compact, dense, bushy, small – averaging 3” - 4” (90 - 120 cm) in height, up to 30" (75 - 100 cm) in width, with abundant, Gallica-like foliage. It can propagate on its own roots. The shoots are strong and erect, with numerous prickles. The leaves are medium-sized, medium green, matte, dense, typically consisting of 5 leaflets. The young leaves appear brownish-red, folded, and droop with their edges bent downward. They change to a medium-dark green and have uniform small serration.

“Rose de Resht” has a typical growth habit of a Portland rose, on its flowering stems, it produces numerous short branches, forming a dense shrub. The small, neat, very double and fragrant flowers are held above the dense, rough, dark green foliage. It blooms at intervals of approximately six weeks between the flowering flushes, if the faded flowers are pruned or the shrub is annually renewed with a light trim. It is well suited for any landscaping solutions, also for hedges and borders. Severe pruning is not necessary; it is recommended to remove old unproductive branches, as regular pruning increases the blooming period.

The flowers are not sensitive to rain. It is also resistant to diseases. Its resistance to powdery mildew is moderate, while its resistance to black spot is high. It is shade-tolerant.

USDA Zone from 4b to 9b (approximately down to -34 °C – USDA Zone 4).

Portland roses are garden hybrids of Damask and Chinese roses, which were important parents of the so-called English roses developed by David Austin. This is easily determined by the shape of the flower: fully full, not very large, with a strong sweet, spicy Damask fragrance. They form dense, compact, very neat, rounded shrubs with healthy foliage, and are very hardy. They bloom in several flushes throughout the season. The shrub blooms, then there is a small pause, followed by new growth and blooming again. It practically does not require pruning; only the old, less blooming shoots should be removed. This rose offers everything one can expect from an "old rose": repeated blooming, a strong fragrance, robustness, winter hardiness, and compact growth.

The shrub rose "Rose de Resht" is a real treat for the senses! Its densely filled flowers resemble magical pompons of a bright color, ranging from fuchsia to violet; they exude an intense, unique fragrance. Also, the variety attracts the attention of many rose enthusiasts due to its beautiful growth and delicate foliage. This wonderful variety of roses is one of the classic representatives of Portland roses, characterized by their compact form, robust nature, and fragrant flowers – "Rose de Resht" has all these characteristics.

It grows vertically, sturdy and dense into a rounded form: up to 90 cm in width, reaching a height of 90-120 cm (under good conditions and after a long period of rest, even much higher), making it an ideal standalone accent, yet it also looks wonderful in a bed with other roses or in a mixed perennial border. If the gardener keeps the rose compact, it is ideal for small gardens, mixed beds, and container cultivation.

"Resht" and "Rasht" – these are the transliterations of the name of an Iranian city located near the Caspian Sea.

The Persian name "Gul e Reschti"

Global awards: Award of Garden Merit of the Royal National Rose Society of the Great Britain RNRS, 1993, Award of Garden Merit, Royal Horticultural Society, 1993.

Winner of more than 60 American Rose Society (AARS) awards, 1998 - 2001:

Victorian (ARS). ARS Fall National Show, 2001;

Victorian (ARS). California Coastal Rose Society Rose Show, 2001;

Victorian (ARS). Central Florida Rose Society Show, 2001;

Victorian (ARS). Chesapeake & Delaware Rose Society Show, 2001;

Victorian (ARS). Del-Chester Rose Society Show, 2001;

Victorian (ARS). Del-Chester Rose Society Show, 2001;

Victorian (ARS). Forest City Rose Society Show, 2001;

Victorian (ARS). Gateway Rose Society Show, 2001;

Victorian (ARS). Glendale Rose Society Show, 2001;

Victorian (ARS). Greater Harrisburg Rose Society Show, 2001;

Victorian (ARS). Huntington Rose Society Show, 2001;

Victorian (ARS). Illinois/Indiana District Show, 2001;

Victorian (ARS). Lake Superior Rose Society Show, 2001;

Victorian (ARS). Lewis County Rose Society Show, 2001;

Victorian (ARS). Lodi-Woodbridge Rose Society Show, 2001;

Victorian (ARS). Long Island Rose Society Show, 2001;

Victorian (ARS). Nashville Rose Society Show, 2001;

Victorian (ARS). Northeastern Illinois Rose Society Show, 2001;

Victorian (ARS). Portland Rose Society Show, 2001;

Victorian (ARS). Southern Tier Rose Society Show, 2001;

Victorian (ARS). Temecula Valley Rose Society Show, 2001;

Victorian (ARS). Topeka Rose Society Show, 2001;

Victorian (ARS). Valley Rose Society Show, 2001;

Genesis. San Francisco Rose Society Show, 2000;

Victorian (ARS). Austin Rose Society Show, 2000;

Victorian (ARS). California Coastal Rose Society Rose Show, 2000;

Victorian (ARS). Contra Costa Rose Society Show, 2000;

Victorian (ARS). Dallas Rose Society Show, 2000;

Victorian (ARS). East Bay Rose Society Show, 2000;

Victorian (ARS). Fair Friends of the Rose Show, 2000;

Victorian (ARS). Greater Rochester Rose Society Show, 2000;

Victorian (ARS). Lower Cape Rose Society Show, 2000;

Victorian (ARS). Minnesota Rose Society Show, 2000;

Victorian (ARS). Nashville Rose Society Show, 2000;

Victorian (ARS). Olympia Rose Society Show and Pacific Northwest District Show, 2000;

Victorian (ARS). Portland Rose Society Show, 2000;

Victorian (ARS). Rhode Island Rose Society Show, 2000;

Victorian (ARS). San Antonio Rose Society Show, 2000;

Victorian (ARS). Topeka Rose Society Show, 2000;

Victorian (ARS). Twin Cities Rose Club Show, 2000;

Victorian (ARS). Albuquerque Rose Society Show, 1999;

Victorian (ARS). Austin Rose Society Show, 1999;

Victorian (ARS). Colonial/Penn-Jersey Joint District Show, 1999;

Victorian (ARS). Cleveland & Northeastern Ohio Rose Society Show, 1999;

Victorian (ARS). Contra Costa Rose Society Show, 1999;

Victorian (ARS). Corpus Christi Rose Society Show, 1999;

Victorian (ARS). Denver Rose Society Show, 1999;

Victorian (ARS). Forest City Rose Society Show, 1999;

Victorian (ARS). Greensboro Rose Society Show, 1999;

Victorian (ARS). Huntsville Twickenham Rose Society Show, 1999;

Victorian (ARS). Lodi-Woodbridge Rose Society Show, 1999;

Victorian (ARS). Milwaukee Rose Society Show, 1999;

Victorian (ARS). Milwaukie Rose Society Show, 1999;

Victorian (ARS). Northeastern Illinois Rose Society Show, 1999;

Victorian (ARS). Redwood Empire Rose Society Show, 1999;

Victorian (ARS). Roanoke Rose Society Show, 1999;

Victorian (ARS). San Antonio Rose Society Show, 1999;

Victorian (ARS). San Diego Rose Society Show, 1999;

Victorian (ARS). Seattle Rose Society Show, 1999;

Victorian (ARS). West Pasco Rose Society Show, 1999;

Victorian (ARS). Baton Rouge Rose Society Show, 1998;

Victorian (ARS). Patrick Henry Rose Society Show, 1998;

Victorian (ARS). Tidewater Rose Society Show, 1998;

Victorian (ARS). West Pasco Rose Society Show, 1998;

Information about the parantage of this rose is not available or commecrically protected.

USDA 4 and warmer