Contents
Along with hybrid tea varieties, floribunda roses are by far the most popular. They are easy to care for, have high frost resistance and resistance to typical rose diseases, and most of them bloom without interruption until almost frost. Today our article is devoted to the description of varieties of floribunda roses. Photos will help you better navigate the variety of their varieties and possibly choose a favorite for your garden.
General information about floribunda roses
This group of roses has gained immense popularity due to the abundant, almost continuous flowering. They fully correspond to their name, because floribunda in literal translation from Latin means “abundantly flowering.”
Floribunda roses and their characteristics
The floribunda group includes many varieties, its flowers occupy an intermediate position between hybrid tea roses and polyanthus.
By height, the bushes are divided into three subgroups:
- low (curb) – bushes reach a height of about 40 cm;
- medium height – from 0,6 m to 0,8 m;
- high – from 100 cm and above.
Perhaps no other group has such a variety of colors, and clearly surpasses other groups in brightness. Flowers of floribunda roses are simple, double, semi-double with cupped, flat, goblet-shaped glasses, collected in multi-flowered or few-flowered inflorescences. Their usual size ranges from 4 to 9 cm.
Most varieties bloom continuously or in three waves. Bright flowers open in carpal inflorescences several at a time, and most varieties of floribunda roses bloom either continuously or have three flowering waves.
It is worth adding that these flowers have excellent winter hardiness, resistance to rain and diseases, moreover, for the most part they can be propagated by cuttings.
In different countries, you can find different names for the flowers of this group, they are even called simply “bouquet roses” or “spruce roses with inflorescences”. They are widely used for decorating private gardens, parks, landscaping the area near large office buildings. They are planted in large pots, and the best floribunda roses are used as cut flowers.
History of floribunda roses
At the beginning of the last century, the Poulsen family of Danish breeders crossed polyanthus and hybrid tea roses, as a result of which, in 1924, the first hybrid-polyanthus variety “Else Poulsen” appeared. From the polyanthus, this flower took racemes and good health, and from the hybrid tea – an elegant shape and a large glass size.
Elsie Poulsen
Later, with repeated multiple crossings of hybrid-polyanthus roses with hybrid tea and other garden varieties, breeders from Denmark, Germany, Great Britain and the USA obtained many varieties that needed to be combined into a separate group. So, in 1952, a group of floribunda roses appeared, which also included hybrid-polyanthus varieties.
Although the floribunda group has existed not so long ago, a group of patio roses has already been distinguished from it, which includes many, but not all, low-growing varieties with a height of about 50 cm. Varieties with creeping or drooping shoots have been identified as a group of ground cover roses. Plants with small flowers and long, up to 2,5 m shoots moved to the group of climbing roses. Recently, we are increasingly hearing the name “grandiflora” – this is how floribunda roses are called today, which have especially large flowers. This group is not yet officially recognized, but the history of roses continues, who knows what changes await us tomorrow.
Which roses are better hybrid tea or floribunda
Everyone will answer this question in their own way. Floribunda roses are undoubtedly inferior to hybrid tea varieties in elegance and bud size, most of them do not have their magical aroma. But they do not bloom in waves, but almost continuously until frost, the beauty of the glass is compensated by the abundance of buds, sometimes completely covering the bush, and although they are not so exquisite in floribunda, they are collected in huge brushes, sometimes consisting of dozens of buds.
Most hybrid tea varieties are capricious, require careful care, which affects the quality of the flower, and sometimes even the intensity of the aroma. Almost all varieties do not go beyond the sixth climatic zone; for the northern regions, their choice is very limited. The resistance to typical rose diseases leaves much to be desired, not to mention the vulnerability of the buds to wetting.
The floribunda is easier to care for, it rarely gets sick, the buds endure rainy weather. And most importantly, these roses are frost-resistant, which means that with proper shelter they winter well.
If you live in the southern regions and a qualified gardener does all the work for the owners, then a hybrid tea rose is the best solution for your site. But for people living in an unkind cold climate and who do not want to bend their backs in the flower beds, but enjoy the beauty of flowers in rare free moments, floribunda roses will become reliable companions.
Believe me, both groups of roses are beautiful, each has its own special charm. The choice of varieties for the site requires an approach to the issue not only from an aesthetic, but also from a purely practical point of view.
Description of varieties of floribunda roses
We invite you to get acquainted with the popular varieties of floribunda roses. Photos will help to give an impression of their appearance.
White varieties
White color will be appropriate for any garden, and there are not so many beautiful roses with this color.
Alabaster
Brushes, consisting of 3-5 large, about 10 cm in diameter, creamy white buds, cover the bush abundantly throughout the season. They contrast with the shiny dark foliage of branches reaching 0,9 m. The rose is intended for the sixth zone, characterized by medium resistance to typical rose diseases, low resistance to rain.
Kosmos
Creamy-white cup-shaped densely double buds are resistant to rain and have a subtle smell. Flowers constantly appear on a large, healthy bush up to 1,2 m tall, which winters well in the sixth zone.
yellow varieties
Perhaps no other group of roses has so many beautiful varieties of yellow.
Amber Quinn
This rose in 1984 was recognized as the best. The brushes contain 3-7 or more buds 7-8 cm in size of a rich amber color. The variety blooms almost continuously, the first opened bud is the largest, with an aroma of medium intensity. The bushes are beautiful, no more than 1,0 m high, with dark shiny, very large leaves. It has a high resistance to diseases, grows in the sixth zone.
Golden Wedding
A straight bush about 0,9 m high, suitable for cultivation in zone six, has good resistance to rain and disease. Flowering – constant, plentiful. Large flowers of golden yellow color are collected in 3-5, have a light aroma.
Orange and apricot varieties
Orange color improves our mood and inspires optimism even on the dullest cloudy days. Take a closer look, perhaps your future pet is among these flowers.
Ann Harkness
A characteristic feature of the variety is the late blooming of buds. After the rest of the varieties have already completed the first wave of flowering, this rose is just coming into its own. Its bright apricot flowers, which have a faint aroma, are collected in inflorescences of 6-20, are not afraid of rain or disease, and are excellent for cutting. Bushes winter in the sixth zone and can reach from 1 to 1,5 m.
Fellowship
Magnificent radiant orange-apricot flowers with a slight aroma are quite large for a floribunda, up to 10 cm in diameter, grouped in 5-7 pieces. A constantly flowering bush up to 1 meter high has erect shoots and excellent health. It is grown in the sixth zone and would be ideal, but the buds are prone to getting wet from the rain.
Pink varieties
It is this color that we associate with a real rose. Delicate pink buds, collected in large tassels, look spectacular and always attract the eye.
City of London
Shrub from the floribunda group, capable of reaching 0,9-2,0 m in height, and spreading 0,7-1,5 m in width, is intended for zone six and has an average health. Medium double, re-blooming flowers up to 8 cm in size are painted in pale pink. This robust rose is great for hedges and single plantings.
Sexy Rexy
A very popular pink variety with a flat glass and slightly wavy petals has a diameter of about 7 cm. Flowers are collected in 5-15 pieces. Medium-sized bush blooms again, grows up to 0,7 m, medium resistance, intended for wintering in the sixth zone.
Red varieties
Authentic red is a rarity in the flower world, but not in the floribunda group of roses.
Evelyn Fishon
Robust, disease and rain resistant, ever blooming variety. A sprawling plant up to 0,85 cm high, everything is covered with bright red flowers with a diameter of not more than 8 cm, collected in clusters containing 5-10 buds.
Lily Marleen
Blood-red fragrant buds, collected in 3-15 pieces from the beginning of summer until the very frost, cover a small, neat bush. It usually grows up to 50 cm, but with good care it rises to 0,8 m. A plant in fair health, suitable for zone five. The variety has a climbing form.
Striped varieties
You won’t surprise anyone with exotic today, so striped flowers have become familiar to us.
Orange and Lamon
Fans of striped varieties may like the bright lemony flower with jumbled orange stripes. The raceme consists of 3-7 flowers up to 8 cm with a low odor and high resistance to rain. In zone six, it can reach 1,0-1,5 m, and the hot climate allows the lashes to easily reach 2,0 m. The bush blooms repeatedly, almost without interruption, and is moderately resistant to diseases.
Purple Tiger
A compact bush with straight shoots up to 1,0 m long is covered with flowers for almost the entire season, it grows in the sixth zone. Its large, up to 9 cm flowers have not only the original color, but also the shape of a glass. The color is a mixture of white, lilac, pink with a predominance of purple. This rose will appeal even to those who are not a fan of striped varieties and would be ideal if it were not for low resistance to adverse factors.
The most frost-resistant varieties
We think that lovers of roses from the northern regions will pay special attention to this particular subgroup. Varieties of floribunda can please them too.
Anisley Dixon
Salmon-pink flowers with a faint smell, 8 cm in size, are collected in large inflorescences. They bloom repeatedly, are characterized by medium resistance to disease and soaking. The sprawling bush does not exceed a height of 0,9 cm and is remarkable in that it grows well in the fourth zone.
Arthur Bell
This re-blooming variety destined for the fifth zone is very popular in Northern Europe and the UK. Large, up to 10 cm in diameter, fragrant flowers of pale yellow color have the only drawback – they quickly fade to lemon or cream. Tall, up to 1,0 m straight bush with hard stems is moderately resistant to diseases.
English Miss
Neat straight bush with dark dense foliage is designed for growth in the fifth zone and is resistant to typical rose diseases. Pale pink, ever-blooming flowers are highly resistant to rain, 8 cm in diameter and have a strong tea rose scent.
Glad Tydings
Red flowers of medium size are collected in brushes of 3-11 pieces; as they age, they do not fade, but darken. Medium-sized bushes up to 0,75 m high are intended for the fifth zone and have high resistance to rain and disease. Blooms until frost.
Iceberg
This variety is one of the most popular and beautiful, sometimes referred to as hybrid tea. It grows and blooms well in cold climates, but in hot countries the buds on it keep all year round. Closed, they can have a pink or greenish tint, but when fully opened, pure white, loose brushes contain from 3 to 15 buds. Their diameter does not exceed 7 cm, the height of the bush is up to 1,5 m, resistance to rain and disease is average.
Pink Perfect
This semi-double rose is destined for the fourth zone and its hardiness is considered to be outstanding. The color of the glass is defined as a “pink mixture”, the fragrant flower reaches 9 cm in diameter. The straight bush grows up to 0,9 m and blooms in two waves.
Conclusion
As you can see, the group of floribunda roses is numerous, and its diversity is simply impressive. In addition, there are many varieties suitable for growing even in harsh climates.
