Rose St. Alban

Pale lemon buds of 'St. Alban' unfurl gradually to reveal full flowers, forming beautiful cups with many petals that vary from soft yellow at the center to almost white on the outer layers. The flowers have a graceful habit of hanging their heads, demonstrating a certain informality while retaining their shape throughout. This variety forms a medium-sized plant with elegant, broad, and arching branches, adorned with relatively small yet very healthy foliage.

DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY
The following description of the rose variety ‘St. Alban’ with color descriptions using terminology in accordance with The Royal Horticultural Society (London) Colour Chart (2001), except where ordinary dictionary significance of color is indicated.

FLOWER
The variety ‘St. Alban’ has recurrent flowering habit. Blooms almost continuously through the season.

Flower bud:
When the petals start to unfurl the bud size is about 4 cm long and 3 cm in diameter. The flower bud has pointed ovoid shape and smooth surface. The colour when sepals first divide is medium green (Group 143C). When half blown, the upper sides of the petals are light yellow Group 10B; and the lower sides of the petals are light yellow (Group 9D).

The colour of the sepals on the upper surface is medium green (Group 144A) and on the lower surface is light green (Group 145A). The length of the sepals is about 2.1 cm and the width is about 2.6 cm. They are awl-shaped, with pubescent surface texture on the upper surface and smooth on the lower surface. There are 3 lightly appendaged sepal and 2 unappendaged sepals with canescent edges.

The receptacle has light green colour (Group 144B) and smooth surface. The shape is campanulate; it is medium sized, the length is about 1.3 cm long and 1 cm wide.

The peduncle is strong and medium long, averaging about 3.5 cm. The surface is smooth, the colour of the peduncle is light green (Group 144B).

Bloom:
The flowers are medium sized, with an average open diameter of about 6.5 - 8 cm. Usually they are born several together in rounded clusters of four to fourteen blooms. When they first open the flower form is globular. As the flower fully opens the shape becomes more open, but still deep cupped, the outer petals curl back. The flowers are very full.

The colour of the upper sides of the petals are light yellow (Group 8C) at the outer part and medium yellow (Group 9A) towards the base. The reverse sides of the petals are light yellow (Group 8D) at the outer part and medium yellow (Group 10A) towards the base. The base of each petal is medium yellow (Group 9A). The major color on the upper side is medium yellow (Group 7D). Normally the variegations are not observed on this variety.

The general tonality at the end of the first day is medium yellow (Group 8B). At the end of the third day the colour become much lighter, fading to light yellow Group 10C.

Petals:
The number of petals under normal conditions is about 121. They have rough and satiny texture. They are quite large and narrow, with the width of about 2.8 cm and length of about 4 cm. The shape of the petals is narrow elliptical, with reflexing and flat margins. The inner petals are usually undulating. The apex shape is rounded and the base is pointed. The petals arrangement is quartered.

The petaloids are normally not observed.

Petals usually drop off cleanly before drying. The last on a plant about 4 days and as a cut flower about 3 days.

Fragrance:
The fragrance is light, fresh and has a fruity character. The scent is hard to define, but as was described by David Austin’s experts it is similar to the fragrance we experience when we walk into a florist’s shop.

Reproductive parts:
The number of stamens is 6 per flower, the length is about 5 mm.

The length of the anthers is about 3 mm, their colour is medium yellow orange (Group 23A). The anthers are tucked in calyx.

The filaments have medium yellow orange colour (Group 23A) and a length of about 4 mm.

The pollen is medium orange (Group 26A).

The number of pistils is about 34 per flower and they have a length of about 10 mm.

The colour of the styles is light yellow (Group 4D) and the length is about 9 mm.

Stigmas have a length of about 1 mm and medium yellow colour (Group 8A).

Hips formations have not been observed up to this date.

PLANT
The rose variety ‘St. Alban’ classified as a Shrub rose from David Austin’s English Shrub Roses collection. The variety has branching and slightly arching growth and of medium vigor growth character.

The are to maturity is about 2 – 3 years. The mature nd well-established plant reaches the height of about 120 cm and the width of about 100 cm.

Foliage:
There are normal quantity of foliage on this rose variety. The number of leaflets on normal mid-stem leaves is 7. The leaves are medium sized, about 11.5 cm long and 8 cm wide. The average number leaves per flowering stem is 5.

The new foliage on the upper side is medium brown green (Group 137D) and on the lower side is medium brown green (Group 138A). The mature foliage on the upper side is dark green (Group 139A) and on the lower side is dark brown green (Group 137B).

Leaflets:
The leaflets are medium sized, about 4.5 cm long and 3.2 cm wide. They have an elliptic shape with obtuse base and acuminate apex. The texture of the leaflets is leathery, the edges are serrated, the type of serration is single and small.

The petiole has medium green colour (Group 143C). Petiole rachis has light green colour (Group 144C), the underside with prickles.

The auricle is awl-shaped. Stipules has length of about 2.5 cm and are bearded.

Veins on the leaflets have dark brown green colour (Group 146B), the venation pattern is net-veined.

Wood:
The new wood has medium green colour (Group 144A) and the bark is smooth. The mature wood has medium green colour (Group 146A), the bark is smooth.

Stems:
The flowering stems have normal strength, with an average length of about 65 cm and with a diameter of about 0.8 cm, the internode distance is about 7 cm.

Prickles:
The quantity of prickles on the main canes from base is many, about 20 per 30 cm of the stem’s length. On laterals from main canes there are usually 25 prickles per 30 cm of the stem’s length. The form of the prickles is hooked downward, the length is about 1.8 cm. The colour of the young prickles is dark brown purple (Group 178A) and the mature prickles have brown red colour (Group 180A).

Small prickles:
On the main stalks there are no small prickles. On the laterals from the main canes there are some small prickles, about 6 per 30 cm of stem’s length. The colour of the small prickles when young is dark brown purple (Group 183A) and when mature they have medium brown (Group 172B).

Disease resistance:
The variety ‘St. Alban’ has good resistance to all main rose pathogens. Resistant to both powdery and downy mildew, blackspot and rust under normal growing conditions. Pest resistance has not been tested yet.

The variety is recommended for growing is climate zones similar to USDA 6 and warmer.

Named in honor of the Royal National Rose Society, founded in 1876 and based in St. Albans, Hertfordshire. The first society of its kind, over the years it has done much good work on behalf of the rose.

English Shrub Rose

ORIGIN OF THE VARIETY
The rose variety ‘Auschesnut’ / ‘St. Alban’ is classified as a shrub rose originated by David Austin by crossing the variety ‘Ausgold’ / ‘Golden Celebration’ with an unnamed, unpatented seedling.

Parentage:

Seed parent - ‘Ausgold’ / ‘Golden Celebration’.

Pollen parent - Unnamed seedling, unpatented.

BACKGROUND OF THE VARIETY
The primary objective of this breeding was to produce a free flowering and healthy variety rose, having arching growth with soft yellow blooms of an informal nature, and a subtle fruity fragrance.

SUMMARY OF THE VARIETY
The objective was substantially achieved, along with other desirable improvements, the following unique combination of characteristics that are outstanding in this rose variety distinguishes it from its parents, as well as from all other varieties:

1. Medium-sized, soft yellow blooms.

2. Growth of medium vigor.

3. Free and continuous flowering.

4. Slight fruity fragrance.

Asexual reproduction of this variety by budding, as performed at Albrighton, England, showed that the foregoing and all other characteristics and distinctions come true to form and are established and transmitted through succeeding propagations.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTS
‘Ausgold’ / ‘Golden Celebration’ has large, cupped, golden-yellow flowers on a medium shrub, compared with the medium sized soft yellow blooms of ‘AUSchesnut’. The pollen parent has medium sized pink blooms.

COMPARISON WITH THE CLOSEST COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE CULTIVAR
‘AUSpoly’ / ‘Charlotte’ has more pointed petals, and is a shrub of moderate size, whereas ‘Auschesnut’ / ‘St. Alban’ is a large arching shrub, with paler yellow blooms.

USDA zone 6 and warmer