CLIMBING CLOTILDE SOUPERT has very few thorns, and what few present are insignificant. You should be able to gain purchase on the canes without pricking yourself. The foliage is resistant to black spot but prone to powdery mildew. The good news is I've grown both the climber and the shrub. The climbing sport seems to handle the mildew better than the shrub and the foliage responds well to non-toxic organic spraying (google Cornell formula for roses). The climber is very vigorous and grows exceptionally well on its own roots. The canes also stay supple a lot longer than most other climbers and are easily trained up any support.

I've saved the best for last. THE BLOOMS!!! The climbing sport of Clotilde Soupert is the only climbing rose that I've tried that repeat bloomed the first year in the ground. Most climbers wait until years two and three, but not Clotilde. The flowers are also drop dead gorgeous. They are small but perfectly quartered, pristine white blushed lilac-pink in the middle, and look like the roses seen on English teacups and in museum still-life paintings. Sadly, the rotund buds will ball and rot during cool wet springs. Good news is once the heat of summer arrives the tightly packed buds open up just fine. IMHO a small price to pay for this kind of floral decadence

Because of the balling and tendency for powdery mildew CLOTILDE SOUPERT should never be grown in places like coastal California or the Pacific Northwest. B-U-T for the Southeastern states of Old Dixie there are few climbers that can match her for beauty or garden utility.

Here is a link that might be useful: Climbing Clotilde Soupert at HelpMeFind Roses

I have this purchased from petals from the past in Alabama . It has grown wonderfully in one season. I have had a mix of perfect blooms and balling . I think the first flush balled and I was really irritated , but it was during the rainy spring here in nashville . The rest of season I have had some great blooms . Now , the scent is amazing !! Like bury your nose in it and never stop smelling it amazing . It is magical, like roses and baby powder . I love the scent !
No real bs problems for me and I haven't had any pm either . Definitely would be easy to train and the thorns are well spaced apart .

"Because of the balling and tendency for powdery mildew CLOTILDE SOUPERT should never be grown in places like coastal California or the Pacific Northwest. B-U-T for the Southeastern states of Old Dixie there are few climbers that can match her for beauty or garden utility."

*** Granted, I am in that Coastal part of Southern CA -- but I never planted her BECAUSE of the tendency to ball. I really wanted her, too.

I have to say, though, that when I saw her in the Baton Rouge area of Louisiana -- she had balled there, as well.

Of course, that was in the spring, and yes, it was in a rainy season. So . . . Maybe this is one of those roses that, particularly in the South, you just have to try it, and see what it does.

Jeri

In addition to the other raves, she is a survivor!!!!! (long story) and will take quite a bit of shade.

Love her. She will ball when conditions are right but here that is seldom. Some years in the Spring and only once ever in the Fall.

Cath

I find that Clotilde is vigorous and healthy. Main issue for me is not necessarily the ballingâ¦seems here she just really doesn't get going til dry and hot and REALLY wows in the fallâ¦Its just the tendency for her to have beautiful clusters and one rotted, used Kleenex type bloom that looks like it was freeze dried on the plant. Not sure if that is botrytis but it's ugly. I gently tap the bush with a bamboo stick and she'll drop those bloomsâ¦.but it might be harder with a climberâ¦
Anyway, the fragrance is amazing! I have 3 bushes.
Susan

She sounds like a beautiful rose with a wonderful smell. Has anyone grown her in a hot and humid climate like SE Tx? From what I have read she tends to ball in humid weather but it's nice to hear peoples actual experiences with her. She sounds almost perfect with her beautiful prolific blooms and fragrance.

Cl.CS is in the top two for foliage in my garden along with Rev d'Or. Absolutely amazing for swampy, hot Florida. No-spray and both are own root.

We have had about 7-8 inches of rain the last two weeks (sorry Calif...) As you can see from the pic, the rose is clean, despite the mold growing on the vinyl siding of our house. (Dead leaves are from an uprooted native clematis I weeded recently.)

Mine came as a mistake. It took a very long time to bloom and when it did, it was just in the spring. At that time. it was in a pot till I could figure out what to do with it and what rose it was.

It now blooms almost continuously. Yes, there is some balling though much less then when it was a younger plant. Just a wonderful rose!

Sounds like if it does well in Florida where it is probably more humid than my climate it should do pretty well for me in Texas. Decisions decisions.....

It isn't the humidity. Clotilde can handle humidity just fine. What she needs is HEAT. That is why she is so problematical in the spring/fall and places where summers are mild and cool. Once the temperatures get into the 90s it loosens the petals and the blooms will open. Oh and for the record she is one of the BEST climbers for Texas. Just ask the folks at the Antique Rose Emporium.

One thing we have here in Texas is heat lol! Sounds llike I will be ordering a new rose, yay!

Thank you everybody! All you input is so appreciated.

I'm going to get her. She sounds pretty perfect for the spot I have if I can live with some balling, which I think I can if she's got everything else going for her.

Clotilde Climbing is an excellent rose for hot, humid places. I have two bushes and the climber in my front garden, and the thing that is so cool to me is that they all bloom together. I think mine is four years old, maybe almost five. She's big and getting bigger. Happily, she's finally getting billowy at the top. Forgive her ratty look, but she looks better than I thought she would when I stepped out to snap her pics just now. She has been completely untended for these last two seasons, unfed, unmulched, untrimmed except for the tips that grab your hair coming in the front door. She's just heading into fall here (still hot days with longer nights) and has lots of new growth so her flush is coming in a few weeks.

In past seasons she has gotten spider mites (not so much this year but that may be due to the excessive rain we've had). CS is the only rose in my garden that gets them - bush and climber, but a strong hose spray for a few days takes care of the problem. She does not get botrytis to speak of. She is plagued by thrips in the spring as is pretty much every rose in my garden. She flushes early though which is a help, so it's mainly her second flush that's lost. She flushes regularly about every six weeks, amazingly. I normally deadhead after every flush but not so much on the climber. Someday I'll do that just out of curiosity and then stand back and defend myself against all the blooms this climber will put out. She has a few small thorns but fewer than Rev d'Or. And she's flexible and thin-caned. Mine faces south with the garage to the southeast and trees close to the southwest, so she doesn't get a whole lot of sun. You may have more problems in the spring because of your cooler temps but once your heat sets in, she'll be great. The deeper pink comes only in the first and last flushes. The rest of the year she's basically off-white. And always fragrant.

You'll enjoy her. Just give her some years to mature.

Sherry

Here is a link that might be useful: Climbing Clotilde Soupert on my blog

No demonic thorns here.

Sherry

Another view. I wish she were taken care of better and prettier now.

Sherry

Oh, most importantly she doesn't get BS - just yellow leaves after her flushes like a true warm climate OGR.

Sherry

Sherry, thanks for your feedback. It is GREAT to see you posting...you've been missed.