Intoxicating Fragranced Roses - Nuits de Young

"Nuits de Young", syns Black Moss, Old Black.

Bred by Jean Laffay (France, 1845).

One of the most famous Mosses.The English poet Edward Young (1683-1765) and his poem "Night Thoughts" are commemorated by the anglophile Laffay. The flowers, like his writings, are striking and dark, deepest burgundy velvet lit by golden stamens.

This rose wants to have a place in full sunlight, despite the very dark colour of its blooms, changing from deepest purple to blueish-grey with age, which is not unpleasant in this case. The flowers are quite small, but - what a show! The few visible bright yellow stamens do the trick (just like "Tuscany superb").

It is a small, not very strong-growing, bushy rose, best planted in groups or as a low hedge. It is (like all mosses) very susceptible to rust and mildew. It doesn't like too much humidity as well as in the air or in the ground.

Moss. Dark purple, lighter shading while aging, golden-yellow stamens.

Strong fragrance.

Medium, semi-double to double, cluster-flowered, in small clusters, flat bloom form.

Once-blooming spring or summer.

Mossed buds.

Short, bushy, upright.

Height of 4' to 5' (120 to 150 cm). Width of 3' to 4' (90 to 120 cm).

Zone 3. Can be used for garden or hedge. Prefers full sun.

Award fo Garden Merit in 2001 from the Royal Horticultural Society Show.

"Tired Nature's sweet restorer, balmy Sleep!

(...) And Midnight, universal Midnight, reigns."

The first and last verse of "Night Thoughts", Edward Young.

Rosa Foetida Persiana

The same characteristics as Rosa Foetida.

Also named Persian Yellow, Persiana, Jaune de Perse. Unknown origin - before 1838, discovered by Sir Henry Willock (UK, 1837).

Hybrid Foetida, Species Rose (wild).

Golden yellow colour, unpleasant fragrance. Small, semi-double to double, globular bloom form.

Once-blooming spring or summer.

Armed with thorns/prickles, spreading. Small, semi-glossy, fragrant foliage with 7 leaflets. Height of 150 to 200 cm, width of 120 to 150 cm.

Zone 3 or warmer. Susceptible to blackspot. Do not prune, it doesn't like it!
The Swedish Rose Society recommends Rosa Feotida Persiana for northern Sweden.

Rosa Foetida

Rosa foetida is a species of rose, native to the foothills of the Caucasus Mountains in Georgia. It has yellow flowers with a mild, sour scent many find objectionable, thus the species name. Though grown widely outside its range (for example, in Britain and America), it is particularly susceptible to black spot.

An important rose, in as much as it is the source of yellow in modern-day hybrids, most famously 'Soleil d'Or' (R. foetida x 'Antoine Ducher'; 1900), was bred by Joseph Pernet-Ducher. One variety, Rosa foetida var. 'bicolor' , the Austrian Copper rose, has flowers with petals that are red or orange on the upper interior surface but yellow on the lower exterior surface.

Rosa foetida syns:

Austrian Briar

• Austrian Brier

• Austrian Yellow

• Capucine jaune

• Fuchsrose

• Jaune Simple

• Rosa cerea Rössig ex Redouté

• Rosa eglanteria Redouté & Thory synonym

• Rosa foetida Herrm.

• Rosa lutea Mill. synonym

• Single Yellow Sweet Brier

• Yellow Austrian Rose.

Also referenced as: R. lutea, Rosa lutea simplex, Geel Rose, Rosa Aegyptia, Rosa vulpina, Rosa lutea flore simplici, R. cerea

Hybrid Foetida, Species / Wild.

Deep yellow. Strong, unpleasant fragrance. 5 petals. Medium, single (4-8 petals), borne mostly solitary bloom form. Once-blooming spring or summer.

Arching, upright, well-branched. Small, semi-glossy, dark green foliage. 5 to 9 leaflets.

Height of 150 to 300 cm. Width of 150 cm.

Zone 3 through 9.

Tetraploid.

Described in Gerald's Herbal, 1597.

Sometimes sets hips.

Belongs to the Pimpinellifolia section (styles free, shorter than the stamens, blooms solitary, without bracts). Has doubly serrated and abaxially glandular leaflets like R. ecae and R. primula, but differs from this by its downy leaves, larger deep-yellow blooms and unpleasant fragrance.