PRINCESS HITOMI – pink tea hybrid rose - Kunieda
Step outside for a few quiet minutes and let Princess Hitomi bring a mood of gentle cottage charm to your garden, with softly cupped, pastel-pink blooms that repeat from early summer into autumn even when summers are cool and brief. Bred in Japan for refined beauty, this hybrid tea rose forms a neat, upright shrub with glossy foliage that fits easily into a small Dublin front garden or a relaxed country border. Its medium, lingering fragrance is perfect for a short evening stroll, while the long-lasting flowers are ideal for cutting and bringing indoors. As an own-root plant it settles in steadily for a long life, moving naturally from strong roots in the first year, to confident shoots in the second, and full ornamental value by the third for lasting ease and quiet contentment.
Usage options
| Target area |
Reasoning |
| Irish cottage-style front border |
The upright, 95–125 cm habit and sugar-glazed pastel pink blooms create a romantic cottage feel without overwhelming a small front patch. Reliable repeat flowering gives colour all season with only basic feeding and deadheading – well suited to the casual homeowner. |
| Dublin terraced-house front garden |
Princess Hitomi stays relatively narrow, so it fits neatly behind railings or along a short path, giving elegant, scented flowers where space is tight. Moderate maintenance needs mean tidy impact without weekend-consuming work, ideal for the busy urban gardener. |
| Feature rose in a mixed bed |
As a specimen at 90 cm spacing, the large, very double blooms draw the eye, while glossy foliage provides structure around perennials and grasses. Long-lasting flowers and steady growth make planning easy for the style-conscious beginner. |
| Cutting patch near the back door |
The long-stemmed, cupped hybrid tea flowers are bred for cutting, holding their pastel colour well indoors. Regular picking encourages more buds, so one plant can supply vases for months, pleasing the fragrance-loving collector. |
| Small rose grouping in family garden |
Planted 55 cm apart, three to five shrubs give a soft pink “cloud” effect, flowering in flushes through the season. Own-root growth ensures they recover well if pruned harder after a rough winter, reassuring the cautious novice. |
| Large container on patio or balcony |
In a 40–50 litre pot with good drainage, this upright rose becomes a vertical accent that’s easy to water and enjoy close-up. The medium fragrance and long-lasting blooms bring a touch of luxury to limited outdoor space, perfect for the time-poor city-dweller. |
| Sunny, sheltered spot in heavier Irish soils |
Princess Hitomi appreciates sun and consistent moisture; in heavier clay, a raised, well-drained planting hole and mulch help roots establish for a long-lived shrub that copes with cool, short summers and steady flowering, supporting the practical-minded planner. |
| Formal pair by gate or path |
Two evenly spaced plants frame an entrance with repeat-flowering, pastel-pink symmetry. The own-root habit keeps growth balanced and stable over the years, so the effect matures gracefully with modest care, suiting the long-term-focused owner. |
Styling ideas
- Cottage-curve – Line a curved front path with Princess Hitomi and Alchemilla mollis to soften the edges with frothy lime-green and blush-pink – ideal for lovers of relaxed cottage charm.
- Pastel-focus – Use a single shrub as a focal point among white foxgloves and pale campanulas to emphasise its sugar-glazed pink blooms – perfect for small, style-conscious front gardens.
- Fragrant-porch – Place one large container by the front step with calamint and trailing thyme at the base for a scented welcome – suited to busy urban households wanting instant impact.
- Neat-hedge – Plant a short, low rose row along a drive, spacing at 50 cm, to create a tidy flowering edge that stays upright and elegant – good for families who prefer order without fuss.
- Cutting-corner – Group three shrubs with low Lonicera nitida ‘Maigrün’ to frame a mini cutting patch that provides regular stems for vases – appealing to beginners keen to bring their own blooms indoors.
Technical cultivar profile
| Characteristic |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Hybrid tea rose, trade name Princess Hitomi – Hybrid tea rose – Kunieda; American Rose Society exhibition name Princess Hitomi; commercial group Rós taehibride, own-root, container-grown. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by Kunieda Keiji at Rose Farm Keiji, Shiga Prefecture, Japan; parentage unknown; introduced by Wabara in 2019 after registration in 2018 in the central ICR section. |
| Awards and recognition |
Recognised in cut-flower circles with SAF Blue Ribbon and SAF Red Ribbon awards, underlining its refined exhibition quality and reliable performance for high-grade floral use. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Upright shrub, around 95–125 cm high, 50–70 cm spread, with dense, medium-green, glossy foliage and moderate prickles; forms a tidy, vertical presence suitable for borders and feature planting. |
| Flower morphology |
Large 7–10 cm, very double, cupped blooms borne mostly in clusters; more than 40 petals give a full, romantic appearance; remontant, with generous repeat flushes after the main flowering period. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Soft pastel pink overall, ARS lp, RHS 65C outer, 65D inner; colour holds well, only slightly lightening in strong sun; from pale, off-white buds to uniform sugar-glazed pink at full bloom. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Medium-strength fragrance of classic rose character, pleasantly spreading in still air; suitable for siting near paths, doors or seating areas where the scent can be appreciated in passing. |
| Hip characteristics |
Only occasionally sets hips, which are small and not ornamental; this keeps the plant’s energy focused mainly on repeat flowering rather than prominent autumn fruit display. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Hardy to about −21 to −18 °C (USDA 6b, RHS H7); disease resistance moderate overall, with good black spot resistance but some susceptibility to mildew and rust in humid conditions. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best in full sun with regular watering in dry spells; space 55 cm for masses, 50 cm for low hedging, 90 cm as specimen; needs occasional plant protection and deadheading for clean presentation. |
PRINCESS HITOMI offers large pastel blooms, repeat flowering and graceful upright growth on a dependable own-root shrub; a thoughtful choice if you want long-lived elegance with manageable care.
