Rosa Primula

Rosa Primula ( Primrose Rose, Rosa ecae ssp. primula (Bouleng.) A.V. Roberts, Rosa primula Boulenger, The Incense Rose)...

...is a species rose originated from Central Asia, found near Samarkand, introduced in Europe a century ago, in 1910.
Its light yellow petals are so delicate and thin, moving like butterfly wings in the breeze.
It has a unique feature in the world of roses: in the rainy days and in certain hours of a day, its leaves emanate an intense perfume of incense which can be sensed from a few meters away.
It produces solitary, cupped, single, fragrant, pale primrose-yellow flowers that are followed by spherical to inversely cone-shaped, brownish maroon hips. Also produces aromatic, dense, fern-like green leaves on slender, reddish-green stems. Most varieties grow on long canes that sometimes climb. Unfortunately, this plant is quite susceptible to a variety of diseases and pests, many of which can be controlled with good cultural practices.
Cultivation: Plant in moist but free-draining or free-draining soil in a sunny, sheltered position. Avoid planting in sites that have previously been used for growing roses.
Awards: RHS AGM (Award of Garden Merit)
Suggested uses: Beds and borders, Cottage/Informal, Flower Arranging
Soil types: Loamy, Sandy
Soil drainage: Moist but well-drained, Well-drained
Soil pH: Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Light: Full Sun
Aspect: South, East, West
Exposure: Sheltered
Hardiness: Hardy (H4), Tender in frost (H3)
Discovered by Frank N. Meyer (circa 1890).
Species / Wild.
Yellow to light yellow. Moderate fragrance. Small, single (4-8 petals), borne mostly solitary bloom form. Once-blooming spring or summer.
Arching, armed with thorns / prickles, bushy, spreading, upright. Small, glossy, light green, fragrant foliage. 9 to 15 leaflets.
Height of 215 cm. Width of 185 cm.
Zone 6b through 9b. Produces decorative hips.
Turkestan.
Diploid
Rosa ecae ssp. primula (Boulenger) A.V. Roberts (1977) Belongs to the section Pimpinellifoliae (styles free, shorter than the stamens, blooms solitary, without bracts). Has doubly serrated and abaxially glandular leaflets like R. ecae and R. foetida. It differs from the former by the higher number of leaflets, larger blooms and colour of hips; from the latter by its smooth leaves, higher number of leaflets, and smaller blooms.