Roses are the most popular of plants, both among gardeners and the uninitiated public alike.
Within this broad classification, however, there are changes in popularity of the various types of roses. Just after the turn of the (1900′s) century the hybrid perpetuals were giving way to the hybrid tea class. Then the floribundas took over as “King” of the rose clan.
Even though all roses are widely planted, many gardeners are hazy as to what differences separate the classes.
Hybrid teas are often mistakenly called “tea roses,” which are quite another thing. The true tea roses are big shrubs, rather tender (although less so than is commonly supposed) and they are unusually disease tolerant. They bloom over a long period with many large, and often extremely fragrant flowers.
The hybrid teas, long the standby of almost all rose gardens, were actually at first the result of cross breeding tea roses with hybrid perpetuals. The results were startling. Well formed, large, sometimes fragrant blooms on long stems were produced over an extended period by plants which were ,hardier than the teas and adaptable to a wide range of growing conditions. These are the flowers which the laymen think of when they hear the name “rose.”
As hundreds of new varieties were produced over the decades, inbreeding (hybrid tea with hybrid tea), as well as breeding to many exotic species, became common. In some cases hardiness, disease resistance and other virtues were lessened, if not lost. Still, the hybrid teas held the center of the stage and they are today planted by the millions every year.
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