Somebody not too long ago said that DNA testing revealed it was fairly from the spinossisima family tree. It stuck in my brain because it's fairly blackspot prone for that class. Not awful, but by far the worst in its corner.

Regarding size, it's still growing. Maybe 5-6 ft eventually. It suckers moderately. I don't remember anything about fragrance. It's next to R. hugonis, and has a long way to go to catch up to the neighbor.

Thanks, Kay. I have Father Hugo and it seems bullet proof for me. It it is the worst, I don't want it.

I know you grow a good number of this class. What are your favorites?

Barbara

I will answer too.
Altaica was not healthy here too.

For me my favorites are:
Doorenbos selection -gorgeous color, healthy
Mary Queen of Scotts - healthy, love it, very fragrant
Have high hopes for these two:
Spinosissima Double white - wonderful fragrance, just one year in my garden, so far healthy
Double Yellow - surprisingly so far healthy too, but also only one year old. Time will show. Supposed to have foetida genes, so keep my fingers crossed.

Olga

Thank you, Olga, I will keep an eye open for these two for sure. I'm still looking to order from Ashdown this year, but will definitely keep these in mind for the future.

Thank you both for the information.

Barbara

I also like Olga's list, though I'd add Double Blush Burnet. Most of mine have either come from Canada, or trades - the sole exception being Mary, Queen of Scots from Sequoia. Other sources are just plain too difficult for me to deal with, for a variety of reasons. It's too bad because I find them extremely useful as landscaping shrubs.

A friend gave me a grafted one, and I planted it deep. It did rather poorly for a good bit of a year, and then seemed to come into its own. Here, it is totally disease-free. I didn't think to check the fragrance of it, but it definitely sets a fantastic crop of those nearly black hips. Really blooms well, too. It may now be on its own roots, but so far no suckering.

--Ron