Rose Shocking Blue

Very fragrant rose floribunda with beautifully shaped blooms of not really “blue” but lilac-blue colour. This vigorously flowering rose shows off many perfectly formed exhibition quality flowers that also suitable for cut.

DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

FLOWERING
‘Shocking Blue’ very good repeating flowering, blooms in flushes, with very short breaks, from early summer until frosts.

Flower bud:
The flower bud has elongated ovoid shape. The colour of the bud color as the sepals first unfold is medium green with intonations of dark purple red. When ¼ open, the upper surface of petals is dark mauve, and the lower surface is red purple. The flower buds borne mostly several together, generally 3 to 7 flower buds per stem.

The sepals are long and rather narrow. There are about 7 to 9 large foliaceous appendages on 3 of the 5 sepals. The margins of the sepals have many stipitate glands on margins of sepals with foliaceous appendages. The surface texture of the sepals is pubescent, covered in fine white hairs; the outer surface is smooth. The colour of the upper surface and of the lower surface is medium green with purple red intonations.

The surface of the receptacle is smooth, has funnel shaped and has medium green colour, often with intense purple red intonation.

Bloom:
The flowers are large, the diameter of the open flower is about 9 cm (3.5"). Upon opening flowers are high-centered, and as the flower fully open the flower shape becomes more cupped, almost flat, the outer petals curl back and slightly wavy. The flowers are very double, the number of petals per flower is about 40 under normal growing conditions.

The colour of the flower when just open is mauve, magenta-lilac or medium purple. As the flower ages the colour changes to lavender or lilac. As the flower fully opens it shows off its bright reddish filaments.

The petals drop of cleanly before drying.

Fragrance:
The fragrance of ‘Shocking Blue’ is strong, of a Tea character.

PLANT
The variety is classified as a floribunda rose with strong and vigorous growth habit. Forms upright and compact plant, reaching a height of about 75 – 120 cm and the width of about 40 – 60 cm at the end of the growing season.

Foliage:
There is a normal quantity of foliage on a plant. The number of leaflets on a normal mid stem leaf is 5. The young foliage has red brown color and glossy appearance, while the mature leaves are dark green and have semi-glossy appearance. The edges are serrated, the type of serration is large and single.

Disease resistance:
The variety is susceptible to black spot and mildew. The resistance to rust and botrytis is good. Pest resistance has not been tested.

The variety is recommended for growing in climate zones similar to USDA 6 and warmer and require winter protection in more colder climates.

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

ORIGIN OF THE VARIETY
The rose variety ‘KORblue’ / ‘Shocking Blue’ originated from a controlled crossing in a breeding program of two distinct parents during the summer of 1997. The crossing was between following parent roses:

 Seed parent – an unnamed and unpatented seedling, the result of the following parentage:

    Seedparent – ‘Boenar’ / ‘Zorina’, a floribunda rose by Eugene S. Boerner, 1963;

    Pollen parent – Unknown, unnamed rose variety

 Pollen parent – ‘KORbido’ / ‘Silver Star’, a Hybrid Tea rose from W. Kordes' Söhne, 1966.

The parentage of the new variety can be summarized as follows:

[‘Boenar’ / ‘Zorina’ × Unnamed rose] × ‘KORbido’ / ‘Silver Star’

USDA zone 6 and warmer