Rosa × alba 'Alba Semiplena' (A)
white rose of York
A large shrubby rose about 2.5m tall, with prickly canes covered in matt, greyish-green leaves composed of 5-7 leaflets. Very fragrant, semi-double, white blooms, opening to 7.5cm across with prominent golden stamens, are produced in summer, followed by oval-shaped red fruit (hips)
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Size
Ultimate height
1.5–2.5 metresTime to ultimate height
2–5 yearsUltimate spread
1–1.5 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Moist but well–drained, Well–drainedpH
Acid, Alkaline, NeutralColour & scent
Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
Spring | Grey Silver Green | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Summer | White | Grey Silver Green | ||
Autumn | Grey Silver Green | Red | ||
Winter |
Position
- Full sun
- Partial shade
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing or East–facing or North–facing
Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered Hardiness
H6Botanical details
- Family
- Rosaceae
- Native to GB / Ireland
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Habit
- Bushy, Climbing
- Potentially harmful
- Fruit are ornamental - not to be eaten. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling. Pets: Fruit are ornamental - not to be eaten - see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants for further information and useful contact numbers
- Genus
Rosa can be deciduous or semi-evergreen shrubs or scrambling climbers, with usually thorny stems bearing compound pinnate leaves and solitary or clustered flowers. Flowers may be followed by showy red or purple fruits in some varieties.
- Name status
Accepted
- Horticultural Group
- Alba roses are very hardy large shrubs with sparsely prickly stems, greyish-green leaves and clusters of fragrant, double or semi-double flowers in midsummer.
How to grow
Cultivation
Grow in fertile, humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil in full sun or part shade. Suits a north-facing wall if grown as a climber. Can be used for hedging. Mulch with well-rotted organic matter in late winter or early spring, and for best flowering apply a general rose or shrub fertiliser in early spring and again in early summer. See rose cultivation
Propagation
Propagate by softwood cuttings in early to mid spring, hardwood cuttings in late summer to autumn or by chip budding in summer
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- City and courtyard gardens
- Coastal
- Cottage and informal garden
- Wildlife gardens
- Climber and wall shrubs
- Flower borders and beds
- Hedging and screens
- Wall side borders
Pruning
Pruning group 20 (shrub roses) or can be trained as a climber, see pruning group 17 (climbing roses)
Pests
May be susceptible to aphids, rose leafhopper, glasshouse red spider mite, scale insects, caterpillars, large rose sawfly, rose slugworm sawfly and rose leaf-rolling sawfly. Deer and rabbits can cause damage
Diseases
May be susceptible to rose black spot, rose rust, replant disease, rose dieback, and rose powdery mildew and sometimes honey fungus. May also be susceptible to disorders rose blindness and flower balling
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