Rose – Green Rose
Class: China
Date of Introduction: Before 1856
At one of our meetings at the Charleston Lowcountry Rose Society, I won a unique rose, Green Rose. It is an oddity and a conversation piece and people either like it or hate it. It is Viridiflora ‘Rosa Monstrosa’ otherwise known as Green Rose. Records say Green Rose has been in cultivation as early as 1743 and is a sport from Rosa Indica.
The Green Rose is a small plant that grows to 3’ tall and has few thorns. It can be grown in a pot, and is rarely out of “blooms”. The buds are small, oval, of soft bluish green color and the “blooms” are usually formed in clusters continually throughout the season and look wonderful. The petals of the bloom reverted back to leaves (petals are modified leaves) and it does not have reproductive organs. As you would expect from an Old Garden Rose, this one is fragrant too. It has a spicy fragrance. But unless you know what you’re looking for, it is hard to find the bud since the bush is totally green.
For all the Irish in all of us, we can say we have a green rose, not St. Patrick which only has a tint of green, but a real green rose. Plant it and you might like it. It is a wonderful rose to use as a filler material in arrangements or as a landscape rose. But I’m sure some visitors to your garden will undoubtedly say “That’s not a rose! You got to be kidding!!”
Tip #20 – Teach your children the value of money and the importance of saving.
Until Next time. Stop and Smell the Roses.
Stop and Smell the Roses - Stay Healthy and Stress Free 