Rosa (Hybrid Tea Group)
Hybrid tea roses are modern bush roses selected for one bloom per stem and long cutting length. They stand out for high centered buds and formal, double flowers. They perform best in full sun and well drained soil across North America. Most cultivars are hardy in USDA Zones 5 to 9 with protection at the cold edge. Plants flower in flushes from late spring to fall when deadheaded. They reward steady irrigation and feeding but need regular disease scouting. Use them where classic form and vase performance matter.
At‑a‑glance
- Group/Class: Hybrid Tea
- Height × spread: 4–6 ft × 2–3 ft (1.2–1.8 m × 0.6–0.9 m)
- Bloom window: late spring to frost; repeats with deadheading
- Color & flower form: wide palette; large, high centered, mostly double; borne singly
- Fragrance: 2 noticeable
- USDA hardiness: zones 5 to 9 (varies by cultivar)
- Breeder / Year / Origin: ‘La France’ — J.-B. A. Guillot, 1867, France (first recognized hybrid tea)
- Cut‑flower notes: firm stems; typical vase life up to 10 days with proper conditioning
- Pet safety: safe
How it differs
- Produces one premium bloom per stem rather than large clusters
- More upright and narrow than many garden shrubs
- Classic exhibition bud with pointed, high centered form
- Longest, straightest cutting stems among garden roses
Strengths
- Extended bloom season with deadheading
- Wide color range and formal flower shape
- Good stem length for arrangements
- Many cultivars noted for fragrance
Care in one minute
- Site: full sun 6 or more hours; shelter from strong winds
- Soil and pH: loamy, well drained soil at pH 6.5 to 7.0; mulch 2 to 3 inches
- Water: deep soak to supply about 1 inch per week; water at soil line in the morning
- Feeding: apply a balanced rose fertilizer in spring and again in midsummer
- Pruning: late winter structural prune; deadhead after flushes; bury graft union 2 to 4 in in cold regions
- Overwintering: mound mulch over crown and protect canes where winters are severe
Watch‑outs
- Prone to black spot and powdery mildew in humid summers
- Needs regular feeding and timely pruning to perform well
- Can suffer winter dieback in exposed, cold sites
Best uses (tags)
cutting, specimen, borders, containers
Provenance note
The modern hybrid tea class traces to ‘La France’, introduced by Jean‑Baptiste André Guillot in 1867 in France. That introduction is widely marked as the start of modern roses.
References
- Clemson University HGIC – Growing Roses.
- Oregon State University Extension – Landscaping with roses (site, soil pH, spacing).
- UC Davis Postharvest – Roses: Spray Rose, Sweetheart Rose (vase life).
- Smithsonian Gardens – The Modern Rose (hybrid tea origins).
- ASPCA – Rose (Rosa spp.) non‑toxic to pets.
Written by: Your Flowers Guide editorial team
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