All about the “Mixed Breeds” AKA– Hybrid Roses

Hybrid roses became popular in the mid nineteenth century. There was a lot of experimentation with cross-pollinating of roses and some beautiful mixes were created. Most roses that we see today are products of cross-pollinating and they truly are works of art.

Hybrid tea roses are the number one most popular among all of the “mixed breeds.” A Frenchman named Giullot discovered the hybrid tea rose accidentally. But the large beautiful bloom couldn’t be resisted and eventually became the most popular hybrid rose.

The hybrid tea rose is a cross between the hybrid perpetual and the old fashioned tea rose. Because the hybrid tea roses have a long, sturdy stem they were ideal for clear visibility and easy cutting of the bloom. Their dramatic look was considered much more beautiful than their ancestors.  A hybrid tea is different from other roses in the fact that it produces one blossom at the end of the stem instead of a cluster of flowers. They tend to be more open instead of bushy like other roses. Don’t be surprised to find over 60 petals on one rose and have a plant that grows to be 3-6 feet tall. Today hybrid tea roses are most commonly used for cut flowers and will be found in abundance at a florist shop.

Floribundas are another of the popular mixed breed roses and they were introduced in the early twentieth century. To make this rose a polyanthus rose was crossed with a hybrid tea rose. Because hybrid teas were beautiful they wanted to reproduce something close to them but something that would be more disease resistant. The floribundas are known for being compact, disease resistant, and extremely hardy.

Floribundas are known for the beautiful sprays they produce and the intense fragrance they give off. The most popular use for a floribunda is to use them as a low hedge or a border. They’re also beautiful in containers mixed in with other landscaping plants.

Grandiflora (as you can probably tell by its name) is a cross between a hybrid tea and floribunda rose. The first grandiflora rose was the Queen Elizabeth and is still considered to be one of the best. Grandifloras like floribundas, grow clusters of flowers as opposed to one. The flower size is noticeably bigger than that of a floribunda and is one of the tallest roses in its class. Grandifloras don’t have a strong fragrance like the floribundas, which is actually surprising. These mixed breed roses are perfect to use as a screen or to use in the back of a border.

When growing mixed breeds it’s important to take care of their specific needs. As with other roses the first step in planting is to get the soil ready. The soil needs to be extremely fertile in order for these guys to survive and thrive. For the hybrid tea rose especially, you’ll need to use organic additives to have the best results in growing.

Hybrid roses need at least six hours of sun per day in order to control for diseases. Make sure you plant them in a sunny place with good drainage.

Pruning of mixed breeds should be done early in the spring. It’s important to get rid of any suckers that appear to be growing so that you don’t get some odd flower growing from the root. As with other types of roses you’ll need to cut the cane back until you cut into the healthy pith. You can tell if the pith is healthy if it’s white in the middle. It should be safe to cut back about six inches in order to grow back strong new canes. Always use a clean, sharp pair of pruning scissors to make sure and make a clean cut instead of tearing the cane. Cuts should be made at a 45-degree angle with the cut facing outward (this encourages the rose to grow in that direction as well).

Once your soil is the correct pH and your roses have been successfully planted, leave it up to mother- nature to take its course. During blooming season you’ll have beautiful, sweet smelling roses to enjoy.