Help identify this old beauty

2 years ago

This rose was brought from Canada to North central Montana by a friends grandmother many years ago (100 years?) suckers on its own roots. uncle would sell the suckers at the farmers market. I ran across it again in my home town, near where the uncle sold it.

it’s incredibly fragrant. flowers are ant 2.5inches. very full. big spring flush but generally has some blooms on it at other times. thorny but not brutally so. tolerates shade and atleast -20° F with no cane loss. the rose in these photos is on a north facing porch. it can grow tall if trained on a fence, but doesnt have long straight canes. some moss on buds. photo taken june 26 in Missoula. fruit trees bloomed 6-8 weeks ago.

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Melissa Northern Italy zone 8

2 years ago

Bumping the thread up, as I would quite like myself to know what rose this is. Sheila's suggestion is interesting, I found when I took a look at it on HMF, but I can't evaluate it.

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Comments (11)

Sheila z8a Rogue Valley OR
2 years ago
Dr. Merkeley?
Lorilie Hall thanked Sheila z8a Rogue Valley OR
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jacqueline9CA
2 years ago
Some kind of rugosa?

Jackie
starmade
2 years ago
https://www.helpmefind.com/rose/l.php?l=21.363644
Melissa Northern Italy zone 8
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
I'm glad people are still looking at this mystery rose and thinking.

It doesn't have any of the characteristics of a species rugosa, to my eyes, and rugosa offspring that I've seen tend to resemble their parent....'Thérèse Bugnet' less, perhaps (it's not TB). And the photo starmade offers is of 'Russelliana', which this rose is not; I have 'Russelliana' in the garden, and this is different. The photo is misleading, though: 'Russelliana's flowers are usually purple, not the pink shown in the photo.

I've seen roses somewhat like the mystery rose, and wondered about their ancestry. The heavy, lanky canes suggest a dose of Damask; in fact, so do the fragrance and color and bloom form. Could this be a Hybrid Damask of some sort? thinking of the rebloom. It's not any rose I can call to mind. The hardiness is also a clue, though one I don't know how to interpret. I'd appreciate comments from the knowledgeable about the possibility of Damask ancestry, as I'm not that strong on rose morphology.

It sounds like a great rose.

P.S. This is not pertinent to the thread, but if you want to see some really amazing big and beautiful roses, go look at the photos of 'Russelliana' on HMF. Really heartening.
Sheila z8a Rogue Valley OR
2 years ago
Dr. Merkeley came from Siberia to Canada where F. Skinner introduced it. It is very cold hardy z2b.
monarda_gw
2 years ago
I love Russeliana.
User
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
The rose Lorelie is asking about has Damask/Gallica foliage, so it's in the Damask or Gallica family.
Rosefolly z5
2 years ago
It reminds me of "Banshee", though perhaps not a perfect match. Aren't there a couple of different versions of Banshee? The coldhardiness and suckering are certainly in accord.
Sheila z8a Rogue Valley OR
2 years ago
HU, no Dr. Merkeley (discovered in 1924 from Siberia) does not have modern foliage. I had it in Alaska. May be related to Rosa cinnamomia or the spinosissimas which I also grew.