Rose Sophia

A striking golden amber-yellow rose. It is still a popular rose due to its nearly continuous flowering with large and fragrant flowers which start as a classical Hybrid Tea and later become more romantic and old-fashioned as the flowers fully open.

DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY
The following description of a rose variety ‘Sophia’, is provided with color references in accordance with the The Royal Horticultural Society (London, England) Colour Chart, 1995, except where common terms of the colour are used. Phenotypic expression may vary with environmental, cultural and climatic conditions, as well as differences in conditions of light and soil.

FLOWER
This rose variety has a very repeat flowering habit, nearly continuous. Blooms in flushes, from summer until frosts.

Flower bud:

The flower buds are large, upon opening the length from base of receptacle to end of bud is about 5 cm. The bud has a long and pointed form with a high center. As sepals unfold, the bud colour is medium yellow orange (Group 16B). When the bud opens at ¼ the colour becomes a bit darker, medium yellow orange (Group 16A). The flower buds are borne singly or in small clusters with 1-3 buds per flowering stem.

The sepals have a moderately pubescent surface, the stipitate glands are present on the outer side of the sepal and along the margins and foliaceous appendages. The colour of the sepals is medium green (Group 143B).There are present moderately sized foliaceous appendages on 3 of the 5 sepals.

The receptacle is urn-shaped, its surface is generally smooth with a very limited number of stipitate glands. The size of the receptacle is medium, about 1 cm long and about 1.2 cm in diameter. The colour of the receptacle is medium green (Group 143C).

The peduncle is strong and erect, its surface is moderately covered with stipitate hairs. The length of the peduncle is about 6 - 10 cm on average. The colour is Green Group 143B with intonations of brown red (Group 180A-C).

Bloom:

The flowers are medium to large sized as for a Hybrid Tea shaped rose, the average flower diameter is 10 - 13 cm when fully open. Upon opening the flowers have a high-centered shape, which quickly changes to cupped and slightly quartered as the flower fully opens. The shape of the flower when viewed from the side upon opening, on the upper and on the lower part has a flattened convex shape. When fully open on the upper part the flower has more of the flattened convex shape and on the lower part the shape becomes concave. The flowers are very double to full, the number of petals varies from 50 to 90 petals under normal conditions, including up to 5 to 10 petaloids.

Just right upon the flower opening the colour of the outermost petals on the upper surface and on the reverse sides are medium yellow orange (Group 16B). The basal portion of the petals have medium yellow colour (Group 12A). The innermost petals on the upper surface have medium yellow orange colour (Group 15C) while the reverse side of the petals are dark yellow (Group 15A).

Upon opening, the basal petal spots extend into the basal zone. The basal petal spots on the outermost petals on the outer side become medium yellow (Group 9A) and the inner side of the outermost petals becomes medium yellow (Group 12A). The basal petal spots on the innermost petals on the outer side and on the inner side become medium yellow (Group 9A).

After the opening, the petals of ‘Sophia’ of the outermost petals on the upper surface have Yellow colour (Group 10C) while the reverse sides have light yellow colour (Group 10D). The colour of the innermost petals on the marginal zone on the upper surface changes to medium yellow (Group 9B), while the basal and middle zone on the upper surface becomes light medium yellow (Group 9C). The marginal zone on the reverse side of the innermost petals becomes light yellow (Group 15D) and the basal and middle zone of the reverse side changes to medium yellow (Group 9C).

After the opening, the basal petal spots of the outermost petals on the outer side and on the inner side of the petals becomes medium yellow (Group 12A); the basal petal spots on the innermost petals from the outer and from the inner side have also medium yellow colour (Group 12A).

The general tonality of the open flower is light yellow (Group 10B-C). At the end of the third day no change in the general tonality of the flowers are observed. Afterwards, the general tonality becomes lighter, medium yellow orange (Group 16D).

Petals:

The petals of this rose have smooth and thick surface texture. The shape of the petals is deltoid with a pointed base. The petals have strong reflex and slight indentation in center of margin on the edges. The arrangement of the petals is imbricated.

There are few petaliods usually present on the flowers of this rose variety. They have the same colour as inner petals. The quantity of petaloids per flower varies from 5 to 10.

The flowers of this rose variety have very good lastingness. As a field plant, flowers last from 4 to 7 days. As a cut flower they last in a vase for about 3 to 5 days. The petals fall off cleanly away from the plant.

Fragrance:

This rose is characterized with strong fragrance, with prominent undertones of fruit, and with herbaceous overtones.

Reproductive parts:

The anthers are medium yellow orange (Group 21B), their quantity is average.

The filaments have medium yellow colour (Group 9A).

The pollen is limited and has dark yellow orange colour (Group 22A).

The colour of the stigmas is medium yellow (Group 9B) and they are slightly inferior in position to the anthers.

The stigmas and styles are pilose. The colour of the upper part of the stigma is medium red (Group 50A) and the base is light green (Group 145D).

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

PLANT

Rose variety ‘Sophia’ is classified as a Hybrid Tea rose. The growth habit is vigorous, upright to bushy. The mature and well established plant has the average height of the plant itself of about 100-120 cm and the average width of about 80-90 cm.

Due to its robust growth and good health it can be used in landscaping and park decoration. Looks good equally great in hedges as well as in mixed borders or in rose borders, mixed with grassess or with perennials.

Foliage:

There is a normal quantity of the foliage on the plants of this rose variety. The number of leaflets on leaves in the middle of the stem is usually 5. The leaves are large, about 12 cm long and are about 11 cm wide. The colour of the upper leaf surface of the mature leaves is dark brown green (Group 147A) while the lower leaf surface is medium brown green (Group 147B-C). Juvenile foliage on the upper surface is dark green (Group 137A), with intonations of medium brown purple (Group 184B-C); and on the lower surface the colour is dark brown green (Group 137B), with intonations of medium brown purple (Group 184B-C). There is some medium brown purple (Group 184B-C) anthocyanin present on the margins and on the underside of leaflets.

Leaflets:

The leaflets are large, their edges are serrated, the type of serration is single and medium. The shape of the leaflets is ovate, the surface texture is thick, with matte finish.

The stipules are about 2 - 2.5 cm long and have light green colour (Group 144B). The surface of the stipules is covered with a moderate number of the stipitate glands on underside and on the margins; they are also present but less abundant on top of the stipules.

The petiole is about 3 cm long, have light green colour (Group 144B). The underneath surface is with prickles. The margins of the petiole have a limited number of stipitate hairs. There is no intonation noticed on the petiole of the mature foliage. The juvenile foliage, and on buds and rachis there are intonations of medium brown purple (Group 184C-187A).

The rachis is medium green Group 144A, has few prickles on the underneath surface; the margins are covered with a limited number of stipitate hairs on the upper surface.

Wood:

The colour of the new wood is medium green (Group 144A) with some red-purple intonations, the bark is smooth. The mature wood has slightly darker medium green colour (Group Group 144A), the bark is smooth.

Stems:

The flowering stems are strong and upright, have an average length of about 35 - 45 cm.

Prickles:

There is a moderate quantity of prickles on the mature stems; while on the young branches there are few prickles. The average length of the prickles is about 10 mm and they have medium brown colour (Group 166C). The shape of the prickles is deeply concave.

Small prickles:

There are no small prickles on the main stalks and on the laterals from the main canes.

Disease resistance:

The disease resistance of the rose variety ‘Sophia’ is reasonably good. It is resistant to mildew, black spot, and botrytis under normal growing conditions in drier climates. In wet climates it is somewhat prone to black spot and mildew. Pest resistance has not been tested yet.

This rose variety is cold hardy in climates similar to the ones as in Denmark, and is recommended for growing without winter protection in climate zones similar to USDA 7 and requires winter protection in more colder climates.

It is also named ‘Sophia Renaissance’ after the name of the rose collection Renaissance, the part of which this rose is.

Renaissance

Silver Medal Gifu International Rose Compet Secretaritat, The Flower show Gifu, Japan, 2007.

3rd prize International Contest of New Roses Rozárium Hradec Králové, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic, 2002.

Gold Medal Mairie de Ville d'Orléans, Orléans cedex 1, France, 2002.

Silver Medal Inagro vzw, Rumbeke-Beitem, Belgium, 2001.

Court of Show / Honor, Southwest Louisiana Rose Society Show, USA 1999.

Gold Medal Concorso Internazionale Premio Roma, Rome, Italy, 1994.

Baden-Baden Gold Medal, Baden-Baden Rose Trials, Gerrmany, 1994.

Prize from the Association of German Rose Friends, Baden-Baden Rose Trials, Gerrmany, 1994.

Prize from the breeders, Baden-Baden Rose Trials, Gerrmany, 1994.

ORIGIN OF THE VARIETY

The rose variety ‘POULen002’ / ‘Sophia’ of the Hybrid Tea rose class originated from a controlled crossing between two unnamed, non-commercial seedlings. The two parents were crossed and the resulting seeds were planted in a controlled environment. The new variety is named ‘Sophia’.

BACKGROUND OF THE VARIETY

As part of their rose development program, L. Pernille Olesen and Mogens N. Olesen germinated the seeds from the aforementioned hybridization and conducted evaluations on the resulting seedlings in a controlled environment in Fredensborg, Denmark. The rose seedling ‘POULen002’ / ‘Sophia’ was selected by the inventors in spring, 1989 as a single plant from the progeny of the aforementioned hybridization.

SUMMARY OF THE VARIETY

The objective of the hybridization of this rose variety for commercial greenhouse culture was to create a new and distinct variety with unique qualities, such as:

 Uniform and abundant flowers;

 Vigorous and compact growth;

 Strong fragrance;

 Large, cupped to slightly quartered blooms;

 Disease resistance.

Asexual reproduction of this variety by traditional budding was first done by L. Pernille and Mogens N. Olesen in their nursery in Fredensborg, Denmark in August 1989. This initial and other subsequent propagations conducted in controlled environments have demonstrated that the characteristics of ‘POULen002’ / ‘Sophia’ are true to type and are transmitted from one generation to the next.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTS

The new rose may be distinguished from its seed parent, an unnamed seedling, created by the same inventors, by the following combination of characteristics:

 The seed parent is classified as a Floribunda rose, while ‘POULen002’ / ‘Sophia’ is a Hybrid Tea;

 The seed parent's blooms are a clear yellow color; whereas, ‘POULen002’ / ‘Sophia’ has amber yellow blooms;

 The seed parent blooms are smaller in size and have fewer petals than ‘POULen002’ / ‘Sophia’.

The new variety may be distinguished from its pollen parent, an unnamed seedling created by the same inventors, by the following combination of characteristics:

 The seed parent has ivory-yellow blooms; whereas, ‘POULen002’ / ‘Sophia’ has amber-yellow blooms;

 The petalage of the pollen parent is double; whereas, ‘POULen002’ / ‘Sophia’ has very double to full petalage;

 The fragrance of ‘POULen002’ / ‘Sophia’ is much more intense than the fragrance of the pollen parent.

USDA 7