Bman1920

I have the impression that Rosa alba F is an uncommon one. The only company that I remember selling one was Vintage Gardens and, as I recall, Vintage wasn't sure it was growing Redoute's rose. Where did you find one?

It's my understanding that Rosa alba F's growth is similar to Rosa alba Semi Plena. Semi Plena grows into a tall climber (with training) or tall, arching, graceful shrub. Semi Plena is one of my favs. Eventually and with pruning, maybe 8 feetish tall here in PDX. Low maintenance, healthy, fragrant, once-blooming with nice red hips and lovely foliage. I've never grow Rosa alba F.

Carol

I have only ever seen a print of this. The alba lineage seems a bit uncertain in later records. I have promised myself an alba suaveolens, should I manage to find one different to alba-semi-plena. Supposedly, A.s has more petals than S.p but not as many as A.maxima and there is a difference in the anthers inasmuch as a.s.p has anthers on the inner petals while A.suaveolens has a button eye. See Roger Philips description (Roger's Roses).
Nastarana, our forum alba expert might chime in with luck.

Heirloom roses says they have Alba Foliacea in stock gonna order it. I 've been collecting albas. Won't hurt to give it a chance.

I have grown alba suaveolens and loved it dearly. Fragrance was superb the quality of foliage and flower was wonderful. I grew it as a climber. I ordered mine from Pickering Nurseries in ONtario, yet they are not open for orders this year. I got here by looking up alba foliacea which I've seen at Heirloom. It says that if is nearly thornless (which a. suaveolens was not!) which would make it a better climber for around a doorway, yet the flowers are much smaller. I hope someone posts who has grown this rose.

I really have no cause at all for complaint. I know I'm lucky to be able to grow teas and tea noisettes. But oh, I do love the albas and damasks and gallicas, the albas most of all! I wish they did better here than limp along and eventually fade away altogether.

I got very excited reading this thread, then remembered that I promised myself not to plant (and waste) any more of the once blooming European OGRs.

Lucky you who live where they thrive!

Rosefolly

This post was edited by rosefolly on Wed, Oct 1, 14 at 12:26

Thank you for the welcome complement, campanula, however underserved! I do grow an alba foliacea, which I had from Pickering. I had thought it was another of the semiplena/maxima sport family. I will say I am beginning to think it was not the best idea to buy albas grafted, because the grafted plants seem to loose the stately growth habit of semiplena and maxima. However, foliacea was available no where else. I have been told, on this forum, some years ago, that the rootstock does not influence growth habit of the scion; based on my own observations, I would beg to differ. My AF has not yet bloomed, so I cannot speak to the flower shape and fragrance. Growth seems to be the usual vigorous bush of the semiplena/maxima family with a bit more laxity of cane, owing, I am convinced, to the influence of the root stock, multiflora in this case. All my albas have been subjected to rabbit attack in winter, so blooming has been delayed. Pity I never learned to shoot. My father, who was a crack shot, didn't think it appropriate to teach girls about firearms. What with the woodchucks treating my vegetable garden like a buffet and the rabbits in the roses...I did see a large red tailed hawk circling the other day; if only I knew how to lure them to hunt in my yard!

The hawks will come soon enough and then all the birds will disappear with the rodents and then the hawks will disappear. Then the rodents will come and the birds will return. In due time the hawks will be back and so the cycle goes.

Cath