This beautiful rose is one of the most subtle and simple of the Albas, and yet also a sophisticated shrub of great character. Also known as the 'Jacobite Rose', or the 'White Rose of York'.The shrub form is upright and arching, or fountain shaped.
The foliage is typical of the Albas: grey-green and dark, generally disease free, although rarely this rose will get rust.
Blooms are white when fully open, but depending on the weather, they will have a cream or blush pink tone at the center at the beginning. They are produced in small clusters of 3 or as many as 8, and are very strongly, and sweetly scented.
R. alba maxima is not an ordinary rose....it is a sublime beauty that works very well in cottage gardens. Just remember that Albas are best left unpruned so that they may develope their true shrub form, so don't plant one unless you can allow it the room to grow as it pleases.
Alba Roses are hybrids whose antiquity may go back further than the Roman Empire. Plinius, who lived from 23-79 A.D., mentioned white roses in his Natural History. Botanists believe these roses may have been Albas.
Graham Thomas supports Dr. C. C. Hurst's theory that Albas are derived from the dog rose, Rosa canina, and the Damask rose, Rosa damascena. Others say it's born from Rosa canina and Rosa gallica.
They have a penetrating pure rosy fragrance with tones of citrus.
They are resistant to disease for the most part. Many can tolerate shade, drought, and are winter hardy.
Many prominent artists including Botticelli, Luini, Crivelli, Shoengauer, da Zevio and van Spaendonck illustrated Albas.
Zone 3 to 9
Thank you kindly, Leslie, for your appreciation. I don't have a team, it's only me, that's why I wrote so little lately. I hope I'll have more time in the future to continue. I'll have much more rose varieties, mostly Rugosas, in my garden from spring, so more photos and articles will follow :).
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