';'La France'

'La France'

(Pronounced: La FRAHN cs)

ALSO KNOWN AS:

'La France'

[Enlarged Image]
'La France', usually credited with being the original Hybrid Tea rose, has high-centered buds that open to very double silvery pink fragrant flowers with darker pink on the reverse of the petals.

[Enlarged Image]
'La France' has the classic high-centered buds that open to beautifully cupped fragrant blooms. The stems are relatively long and the bloom is prolific.

[Enlarged Image]
This picture shows a one year old plant, which is quite upright but somewhat spindly.

[Enlarged Image]
This picture, the same plant one year later, illustrates the rate of growth and the degree to which the spindly upright immature plant fills out.

GENERAL
INFORMATION:
'La France' was a sensation when it was introduced in 1867. Although the parentage is not known, it combines the grace and elegance of the tea roses with the vigor of the hybrid perpetuals. It is one of the very early large-flowered hybrid tea roses.

The large, very fragrant, silvery-pink flowers open from high-centered long buds. The blooms repeat freely all summer.

BOTANICAL
GROUP:
Chinensis

GROUP:

CLASS:
HT

SEED
PARENT:
Probably a 'Mme. Falcot' seedling

POLLEN
PARENT:

BREEDER:
Guillot et Fils

INTRODUCED:
La France was introduced by Guillot et Fils (France) in 1867.

DATE:
1867 [ France ]

PLANT SIZE
AND FORM:
Height:    4 '     to    6 '           Width:    3 '     to    4 '

'La France' forms a vigorous spreading bush that will reach heights of 4' - 6'.

FOLIAGE
DESCRIPTION:
The foliage is a flat medium green and smooth.

FOLIAGE
FRAGRANCE:
None.

BLOOM
FREQUENCY:
R - Repeat. 'La France' starts blooming in the late spring (May in the Texas Hill Country) and repeats throughout the growing season.

BLOOM
DESCRIPTION: Flower Size:    .00"      to      .00"           Cluster Size:    2      to      5           Petal Count:    60 to 60

'La France' buds are high centered and open to large (3" - 3-1/2") flowers that are very double and globular in shape, with a distinctive swirling of the center petals. The flowers retain their globular shape until the petals fall.

BLOOM
COLOR:
lp - Light pink. 'La France' blooms are silvery pink. The reverse sides of the petals are a darker shade of pink.

COLOR VARIATION:
None.

FRAGRANCE:
VF - Very fragrant. 'La France' has a rich classic hybrid tea fragrance.

HIPS:
None observed.

CLIMATE:
Zones 6 - 9

CULTURE:
'La France' is vigorous, but may be susceptible to black spot. The flowers have some tendency to ball in wet weather. It should be planted in a warm sunny spot and kept well mulched and watered.

PROPAGATION:
'La France' may be propagated by air layering, ground layering, or by making cuttings.

OTHER
CHARACTERISTICS:

    ** Good for bedding or mass plantings
    ** Suitable for growing in pots
    ** Suitable for growing in greenhouses
    ** Widely Availabile
There is a climbing sport of 'La France'.

ANECDOTAL
INFORMATION:
Although 'La France' is usually given credit for being the first Hybrid Tea rose, the honor should actually go to 'Victor Verdier' which was bred by Lacharme of Lyons. in 1859.

REFERENCES:
American Rose Society. Modern Roses XI. Shreveport, Louisiana: American Rose Society. 2000, p. 294.

Antique Rose Emporium. The Antique Rose Emporium 1988 Catalog. Independence, Texas: Antique Rose Emporium. 1988, p. 43.

Antique Rose Emporium. The Antique Rose Emporium 1988 Catalog. Independence, Texas: Antique Rose Emporium. 1988, p. 43.

Beales, Peter. Classic Roses. New York: Henry Holt & Company. 1997, pp. 33-34, 423.

Druitt, Liz. The Organic Rose Garden. Dallas, TX: Taylor Publishing Company. 1996, pp. 98, 142.

Welch, William C.. Antique Roses for the South. Dallas: Taylor Publishing. 1990, p. 156.

Welch, William C.. Perennial Garden Color. Dallas: Taylor Publishing. 1989, pp. 215, 222, 238-239.

GENERAL INFORMATION:	'La France' was a sensation when it was introduced in 1867. Although the parentage is not known, it combines the grace and elegance of the tea roses with the vigor of the hybrid perpetuals. It is one of the very early large-flowered hybrid tea roses. The large, very fragrant, silvery-pink flowers open from high-centered long buds. The blooms repeat freely all summer.
BOTANICAL GROUP:	Chinensis
GROUP:
CLASS:	HT
SEED PARENT:	Probably a 'Mme. Falcot' seedling
POLLEN PARENT:
BREEDER:	Guillot et Fils
INTRODUCED:	La France was introduced by Guillot et Fils (France) in 1867.
DATE:	1867 [ France ]
PLANT SIZE AND FORM:	Height: 4 ' to 6 ' Width: 3 ' to 4 ' 'La France' forms a vigorous spreading bush that will reach heights of 4' - 6'.
FOLIAGE DESCRIPTION:	The foliage is a flat medium green and smooth.
FOLIAGE FRAGRANCE:	None.
BLOOM FREQUENCY:	R - Repeat. 'La France' starts blooming in the late spring (May in the Texas Hill Country) and repeats throughout the growing season.
BLOOM DESCRIPTION:	Flower Size: .00" to .00" Cluster Size: 2 to 5 Petal Count: 60 to 60 'La France' buds are high centered and open to large (3" - 3-1/2") flowers that are very double and globular in shape, with a distinctive swirling of the center petals. The flowers retain their globular shape until the petals fall.
BLOOM COLOR:	lp - Light pink. 'La France' blooms are silvery pink. The reverse sides of the petals are a darker shade of pink.
COLOR VARIATION:	None.
FRAGRANCE:	VF - Very fragrant. 'La France' has a rich classic hybrid tea fragrance.
HIPS:	None observed.
CLIMATE:	Zones 6 - 9
CULTURE:	'La France' is vigorous, but may be susceptible to black spot. The flowers have some tendency to ball in wet weather. It should be planted in a warm sunny spot and kept well mulched and watered.
PROPAGATION:	'La France' may be propagated by air layering, ground layering, or by making cuttings.
OTHER CHARACTERISTICS:	Good for bedding or mass plantings Suitable for growing in pots Suitable for growing in greenhouses Widely Availabile There is a climbing sport of 'La France'.
ANECDOTAL INFORMATION:	Although 'La France' is usually given credit for being the first Hybrid Tea rose, the honor should actually go to 'Victor Verdier' which was bred by Lacharme of Lyons. in 1859.
REFERENCES:	American Rose Society. Modern Roses XI. Shreveport, Louisiana: American Rose Society. 2000, p. 294. Antique Rose Emporium. The Antique Rose Emporium 1988 Catalog. Independence, Texas: Antique Rose Emporium. 1988, p. 43. Antique Rose Emporium. The Antique Rose Emporium 1988 Catalog. Independence, Texas: Antique Rose Emporium. 1988, p. 43. Beales, Peter. Classic Roses. New York: Henry Holt & Company. 1997, pp. 33-34, 423. Druitt, Liz. The Organic Rose Garden. Dallas, TX: Taylor Publishing Company. 1996, pp. 98, 142. Welch, William C.. Antique Roses for the South. Dallas: Taylor Publishing. 1990, p. 156. Welch, William C.. Perennial Garden Color. Dallas: Taylor Publishing. 1989, pp. 215, 222, 238-239.