Rosa gallica var. officinalis (G)

RHS 1983

Other common names

crimson damask rose, official rose, old red damask, Provence rose, red rose of Lancaster

Synonyms

Rosa red rose of Lancaster
Rosa officinalis
Rosa apothecary's rose
Rosa crimson damask

Roses

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Small, bushy shrub rose of great antiquity, about 90cm tall and wide, with dull greyish-green foliage. Profuse, highly fragrant, semi-double, rosy-crimson blooms to 8cm across, with prominent yellow anthers, once-flowering in early summer, followed by small orange-red oval fruits (hips); from 1310

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.5-1 metres

Max Spread

0.5-1 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 2–5 years
Max Spread: 0.5-1 metres
Max Height: 0.5-1 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Clay Loam Sand

Moisture: Moist but well–drained or Well–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun Partial shade

Aspect: South–facing or West–facing or East–facing
Exposure: Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H7

Colour & Scent

Fragrance Flower

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Rosaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Bushy
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: Correct
Horticultural Group

Horticultural Classification Codes

Horticultural Classification Codes are often given to genera which have a large number of species or cultivars. They are used to categorise cultivated plants based on specific, shared characteristics such as shape, colour, size or flowering time, and can be displayed as letters or numbers

For example:
Dahlia ‘Sunset Kate (Sin) = Single flower
Rosa ‘Marigold’ (HT) = Hybrid Tea: Gallica roses are compact, prickly shrubs with dull green foliage and generally fragrant, single to double flowers in small clusters in mid-summer
Plant Range: C & S Europe

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grows best in full sun with fertile, humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil. For best flowering apply a balanced fertiliser and mulch in late winter or early spring - see rose cultivation. Tolerant of poor soil and shade. Suitable for hedging

Propagation

Propagate by hardwood cuttings in autumn or by chip budding in summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage and informal garden
Coastal
Wildlife gardens
City and courtyard gardens
Cut flowers
Flower borders and beds
Hedging and screens

Pruning

See pruning group 20 (shrub roses); don't prune after flowering if fruit (hips) are required

Pests

May be susceptible to rose aphid, rose leafhopper, glasshouse red spider mite, scale insects, caterpillars, large rose 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