';'American Pillar'

'American Pillar'

(Pronounced: a-MER-I-can PILL-ar)

ALSO KNOWN AS:

'American Pillar'

[Enlarged Image]
'American Pillar' is an extremely aggressive rambler, that grows very rapidly. This is my original specimen of 'American Pillar' when it was one year old.

[Enlarged Image]
This is the same rose one year later. So, this is why 'American Pillar' is described as a vigorous once-blooming climbing rose with a spectacular display of pink clusters of flowers in the mid-spring.

[Enlarged Image]
The blooms occur in massive clusters of bright carmine pink flowers with golden stamens and white eyes.

[Enlarged Image]
The flowers are very pleasing either up close or from a distance. As the flowers age, the stamens turn brown and wither. This has the effect of seeming to enlarge the white eye and make it more prominent.

GENERAL
INFORMATION:
'American Pillar' is a once-blooming climbing rambler that displays spectacular clusters of bright pink flowers with white eyes in the late spring or early summer.

BOTANICAL
GROUP:
Synstylae

GROUP:

CLASS:
R

SEED
PARENT:
(R. wichurana X R. setigera)

POLLEN
PARENT:
A red Hybrid Perpetual

BREEDER:
Van Fleet

INTRODUCED:
'American Pillar' was introduced by Van Fleet of Glenn Dale, Maryland (USA) in 1902.

DATE:
1902 [ United States ]

PLANT SIZE
AND FORM:
Height:    12 '     to    20 '           Width:    10 '     to    12 '

'American Pillar' is a vigorous rambler that will reach heights of 17'. If allowed to form a mounding shrub, it will create a huge impenetrable thorny hedge with 1/2" canes spreading in all directions.

FOLIAGE
DESCRIPTION:
The foliage is dark green and shiny.

FOLIAGE
FRAGRANCE:
None.

BLOOM
FREQUENCY:
O - Once. 'American Pillar' starts blooming in the late spring (early May in the Texas Hill Country) and blooms for a period of about 4 weeks.

BLOOM
DESCRIPTION: Flower Size:    1.50"      to      2.00"           Cluster Size:    5      to      10           Petal Count:    5 to 5

'American Pillar' flowers are small (3/4" - 1") but occur in large clusters. The gold stamens turn brown and wither as the flowers age, which gives the appearance of an enlarging white eye. The blooms may be mottled by rain.

BLOOM
COLOR:
pb - Pink Blend. 'American Pillar' blooms are bright carmine pink with bright gold stamens and white eyes. The blooms fade to light pink.

COLOR VARIATION:
None.

FRAGRANCE:
sf - Slightly Fragrant. 'American Pillar' has a light fragrance.

HIPS:
Red, Oval, #/8" Diameter. 'American Pillar' has abundant bright red oval hips (3/8" diameter).

CLIMATE:
Zones 6 - 9

CULTURE:
'American Pillar' tolerates poor soils and some shade. It is hardy to -10 degrees fahrenheit, but is somewhat susceptible to mildew. Because of its shade tolerance, American Pillar is suitable for growing into trees.

PROPAGATION:
'American Pillar' is readily propagated by cuttings or layering.

OTHER
CHARACTERISTICS:

    ** Tolerant of shade
    ** Tolerant of poorer soils
    ** Widely Availabile
Despite its name, the 'American Pillar' is a bit to vigorous to be grown on a pillar. It works better climbing up the side of a house or on a pergola.

The flowers last well when cut.

ANECDOTAL
INFORMATION:
The 'American Pillar' rose is extremely vigorous and tends to explore its surroundings aggressively with long, thick, inquisitive canes.

I made the mistake of planting 'American Pillar' along a rail fence with some other climbing roses. 'Dorothy Perkins' was about 15' distant on the left and 'Cornelia' was about the same distance away on the right.

It seemed like before I could blink twice, 'American Pillar' had explored the entire premises and had decided to evict both 'Dorothy Perkins' and 'Cornelia' from the fence.

With great vigor, it sent out canes in all directions and established its dominance, intertwining with the other climbers and then simply overwhelming them.

Recently I was asked to identify some "found" roses that had been collected over the years and planted at the high school in Boerne, Texas. There I found some well-mannered Mutabilis, Old Blush, and Fairy specimens along with a few Martha Gonzales.

Some of the roses there are as yet unidentified. But right smack in the middle of these docile plants, there was an enormous heap of canes, foliage, and single pink flowers with huge white eyes and canes spreading in every direction - 'American Pillar'.

REFERENCES:
American Rose Society. Modern Roses 10. Shreveport, Louisiana: American Rose Society. 1993, p. 14.

Antique Rose Emporium. The Antique Rose Emporium 1988 Catalog. Independence, Texas: Antique Rose Emporium. 1988, p. 11.

Antique Rose Emporium. The Antique Rose Emporium 1988 Catalog. Independence, Texas: Antique Rose Emporium. 1988, p. 75.

Austin, David. The Heritage of the Rose. Woodbridge, Suffolk: Antique Collectors Club, Ltd.. 1990, p. 322.

Beales, Peter. Classic Roses. New York: Henry Holt & Company. 1997, p. 342.

Druitt, Liz. The Organic Rose Garden. Dallas, TX: Taylor Publishing Company. 1996, pp.102, 108-109.

Taylor. (Maggie Oster, Consulting Ed.r). Taylor's Pocket Guide to Old-fashioned Roses. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co.. 1989, p. 37.

GENERAL INFORMATION:	'American Pillar' is a once-blooming climbing rambler that displays spectacular clusters of bright pink flowers with white eyes in the late spring or early summer.
BOTANICAL GROUP:	Synstylae
GROUP:
CLASS:	R
SEED PARENT:	(R. wichurana X R. setigera)
POLLEN PARENT:	A red Hybrid Perpetual
BREEDER:	Van Fleet
INTRODUCED:	'American Pillar' was introduced by Van Fleet of Glenn Dale, Maryland (USA) in 1902.
DATE:	1902 [ United States ]
PLANT SIZE AND FORM:	Height: 12 ' to 20 ' Width: 10 ' to 12 ' 'American Pillar' is a vigorous rambler that will reach heights of 17'. If allowed to form a mounding shrub, it will create a huge impenetrable thorny hedge with 1/2" canes spreading in all directions.
FOLIAGE DESCRIPTION:	The foliage is dark green and shiny.
FOLIAGE FRAGRANCE:	None.
BLOOM FREQUENCY:	O - Once. 'American Pillar' starts blooming in the late spring (early May in the Texas Hill Country) and blooms for a period of about 4 weeks.
BLOOM DESCRIPTION:	Flower Size: 1.50" to 2.00" Cluster Size: 5 to 10 Petal Count: 5 to 5 'American Pillar' flowers are small (3/4" - 1") but occur in large clusters. The gold stamens turn brown and wither as the flowers age, which gives the appearance of an enlarging white eye. The blooms may be mottled by rain.
BLOOM COLOR:	pb - Pink Blend. 'American Pillar' blooms are bright carmine pink with bright gold stamens and white eyes. The blooms fade to light pink.
COLOR VARIATION:	None.
FRAGRANCE:	sf - Slightly Fragrant. 'American Pillar' has a light fragrance.
HIPS:	Red, Oval, #/8" Diameter. 'American Pillar' has abundant bright red oval hips (3/8" diameter).
CLIMATE:	Zones 6 - 9
CULTURE:	'American Pillar' tolerates poor soils and some shade. It is hardy to -10 degrees fahrenheit, but is somewhat susceptible to mildew. Because of its shade tolerance, American Pillar is suitable for growing into trees.
PROPAGATION:	'American Pillar' is readily propagated by cuttings or layering.
OTHER CHARACTERISTICS:	Tolerant of shade Tolerant of poorer soils ** Widely Availabile Despite its name, the 'American Pillar' is a bit to vigorous to be grown on a pillar. It works better climbing up the side of a house or on a pergola. The flowers last well when cut.
ANECDOTAL INFORMATION:	The 'American Pillar' rose is extremely vigorous and tends to explore its surroundings aggressively with long, thick, inquisitive canes. I made the mistake of planting 'American Pillar' along a rail fence with some other climbing roses. 'Dorothy Perkins' was about 15' distant on the left and 'Cornelia' was about the same distance away on the right. It seemed like before I could blink twice, 'American Pillar' had explored the entire premises and had decided to evict both 'Dorothy Perkins' and 'Cornelia' from the fence. With great vigor, it sent out canes in all directions and established its dominance, intertwining with the other climbers and then simply overwhelming them. Recently I was asked to identify some "found" roses that had been collected over the years and planted at the high school in Boerne, Texas. There I found some well-mannered Mutabilis, Old Blush, and Fairy specimens along with a few Martha Gonzales. Some of the roses there are as yet unidentified. But right smack in the middle of these docile plants, there was an enormous heap of canes, foliage, and single pink flowers with huge white eyes and canes spreading in every direction - 'American Pillar'.
REFERENCES:	American Rose Society. Modern Roses 10. Shreveport, Louisiana: American Rose Society. 1993, p. 14. Antique Rose Emporium. The Antique Rose Emporium 1988 Catalog. Independence, Texas: Antique Rose Emporium. 1988, p. 11. Antique Rose Emporium. The Antique Rose Emporium 1988 Catalog. Independence, Texas: Antique Rose Emporium. 1988, p. 75. Austin, David. The Heritage of the Rose. Woodbridge, Suffolk: Antique Collectors Club, Ltd.. 1990, p. 322. Beales, Peter. Classic Roses. New York: Henry Holt & Company. 1997, p. 342. Druitt, Liz. The Organic Rose Garden. Dallas, TX: Taylor Publishing Company. 1996, pp.102, 108-109. Taylor. (Maggie Oster, Consulting Ed.r). Taylor's Pocket Guide to Old-fashioned Roses. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co.. 1989, p. 37.