QUEEN OF ROSES® – salmon-orange hybrid tea rose – KORbico
QUEEN OF ROSES® wraps your garden in a quietly luxurious, salmon glow – a classic hybrid tea that shrugs off Irish rain and wind while still offering generously repeat flowering. Large, high‑centred blooms on upright stems are perfect for cutting, so a short walk outside after showers becomes an everyday bouquet‑gathering ritual, filled with contentment. Its proven ADR pedigree and Belfast Gold Medal underline long‑term reliability, while dark glossy foliage adds elegant structure even between flushes. As an own‑root plant it settles in steadily, giving durable lifespan and easy regrowth; roots establish in the first year, shoots build in the second, and by the third year you enjoy full ornamental impact.
Usage options
| Target area | Reasoning |
|---|
| Feature rose in a small front garden |
The upright habit and 7–10 cm, high‑centred blooms make this an ideal focal point by a gate or path, offering classic garden‑rose elegance without complex pruning or training, well suited to beginners and busy homeowners. |
| Cottage-style mixed border |
Reliable repeat flowering from early summer to autumn keeps colour running through a mixed border; pair with airy perennials like feverfew to soften the formal blooms, giving long seasonal interest for relaxed cottage‑garden enthusiasts. |
| Cutting patch for home bouquets |
Sturdy stems and exhibition‑quality, very full flowers make it perfect for vase use; planting at 50 cm spacing gives a good yield of straight, long stems for regular cutting, ideal for fragrance‑loving flower‑arranging hobbyists. |
| Specimen rose in a lawn or gravel bed |
Planting one shrub at around 75 cm clearance allows its dark, glossy foliage and well‑shaped blooms to stand out as a single statement, suiting gardens where you want one easy‑care but impressive focal point for design‑conscious owners. |
| Low-maintenance rose grouping |
Good resistance to black spot, mildew and rust means group plantings remain tidy with minimal spraying; spacing at about 40–50 cm creates a coherent block of colour with little ongoing work for time‑pressed garden beginners. |
| Wind-exposed urban or coastal plots |
The robust hybrid tea framework and resilient foliage cope well where gardens are open to breezes and frequent rain, giving dependable flowering structure despite challenging weather for practical, site‑aware planners. |
| Large container on patio or balcony |
In a 40–50 litre pot with good drainage and regular feeding, its upright growth and generous blooms provide a vertical accent and easy deadheading access, ideal for paved spaces and compact yards tended by busy urban residents. |
| Long-term family garden planting |
As an own‑root rose it ages gracefully, regenerating from the base if stems are winter‑damaged and giving stable form; roots establish first, then framework builds, before full display settles in for years, suiting long‑view garden planners. |
Styling ideas
- Cottage Charm – weave QUEEN OF ROSES® through feverfew and soft pink campanulas for a loose, storybook cottage feel – ideal for romantic front‑garden dreamers.
- Formal Accent – plant three in a triangle within a clipped box or lavender edging to highlight their upright form and repeat flowers – suited to symmetry‑loving homeowners.
- Salmon Sunset – combine with apricot foxgloves and warm ornamental grasses for a glowing dusk palette – perfect for evening‑garden appreciators.
- Patio Showpiece – grow one plant in a generous terracotta pot with trailing thyme at the base to soften the rim – designed for balcony and terrace dwellers.
- Cutting Corner – dedicate a sunny bed with QUEEN OF ROSES® in rows, underplanted with low catmint to hide bare soil – great for home florists and bouquet makers.
Technical cultivar profile
| Parameter | Data |
|---|
| Name and registration |
Hybrid tea rose, registered as KORbico, marketed as QUEEN OF ROSES® Hybrid tea rose KORbico; also shown under the exhibition name ‘Colour Wonder’ for cut flower displays. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by Reimer Kordes, W. Kordes’ Söhne, Germany, from ‘Kordes Perfecta’ × ‘Super Star’; bred and registered in 1964, introduced commercially in 1965 by W. Kordes’ Söhne. |
| Awards and recognition |
Holds the prestigious ADR rose award from 1964 for garden performance and disease resistance, and received the Belfast Gold Medal in 1966, confirming its long‑standing horticultural merit. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Upright, bushy hybrid tea rose reaching about 85–115 cm in height with 60–85 cm spread; moderately dense, glossy dark green foliage and densely thorned stems create a robust framework in beds or borders. |
| Flower morphology |
Large 7–10 cm, very full, cup‑shaped blooms with a pronounced, medium‑high, exhibition‑style centre; typically borne singly on stems, repeat flowering strongly with a notably plentiful second flush in season. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Warm salmon‑orange with silky sheen; buds bright orange‑salmon, opening vivid inside with yellowish outer rims, then softening to peachy pink with some yellow tones as flowers age, with relatively weak colour retention in strong light. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Moderate, clearly perceptible fragrance with a fresh, fruity tea character; scent is most noticeable on still, mild days and suits use as a cut flower for indoor enjoyment without becoming overpowering in smaller rooms. |
| Hip characteristics |
Produces few hips; when present they are small, 10–14 mm ellipsoid fruits, orange‑red around RHS 40A, of limited ornamental value and usually hidden by foliage and ongoing flowering flushes. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Good overall health with resistance to powdery mildew, black spot and rust; cold hardy to around −23 to −21 °C (H7, USDA 6a), suiting most Irish garden conditions with standard mulching in winter. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Prefers a sunny, well‑drained site; plant 40–50 cm apart in groups or 75 cm as a specimen; best in fertile loam with organic mulch, low maintenance and minimal spraying needed under normal garden conditions. |
QUEEN OF ROSES® Hybrid tea rose KORbico offers repeat salmon-orange blooms, reliable health and long-lived own-root performance, making it a thoughtful choice for Irish gardens seeking lasting colour and character.
