Sherry, Are you getting one last shot at the end, when the whole bloom flushes deep red?

This has been one of my favorites for a long long time.
It's a heckuva survivor, too.
You find big old plants up in the Goldrush Country, here and there, chewed down by deer, starved for water, and blooming all the same.

Jeri

Jeri, are you kidding? Ya mean after the pink it goes red??!! Oh, wow! I will be taking photos everyday. Can't wait for tomorrow's and the next day's. What a hunk this guy is!!

Sherry

Absolutely one of my favorites. The fragrance reminds me of cherry candy and I recommend him to everyone in this area. I so love the changing hues..all on the same bush.

That's beautiful. I'm glad I'll have it in my garden this year.

Thanks for sharing

oooooo! ahhhhhh!

Sherry, your Archduke is killer good looking. Thanks for posting this series of photos, so we can see his incredible changes.

Randy

Jeri, are you kidding? Ya mean after the pink it goes red??!!

*** Sure does!
And all without looking worn.

It's a prodigy. :-)

Jeri

I love mine too. I love the gentle changes, and each stage is beautiful. Mine is quite small - only about 3 feet, and I hope it will get large.

Your photos are beautiful.
Sammy

Wow, Sherry. I gotta have one of those fellas...

Sherry, I just planted an AC and I'm excited to see the blooms this summer. I had one in Texas and really liked it. Those are really nice pics, Sherry.

Isn't that a general characteristic of chinas, that the blooms darken with age?

I've noticed it on one of my teas as well, General Gallieni.

Gean

Gean, I knew that, but I didn't expect light pink to change to red. That will be quite a thing to watch. And I didn't expect it to be so double. And yesterday I could detect no fragrance; today I do. It's really an interesting rose. I wish I had bought it sooner - when I had room in the ground!

Sherry

That's gorgeous! I love the series and you've just done some very serious ennabling. Wow!

Sherry said, **I didn't expect **

I know, it's wild. Mutabalis is wild too. I didn't EVER expect that transformation of colors either when I first saw it. How beautiful it all is.

So, you'll post the end of the story, right? I haven't seen that rose in a lot of years, and it's a pleasure to see your pics.

How cool is this transformation?
Saturday morning
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More later.

Sherry

I love the changeability of China blooms. And they're even better when they're fragrant too!

After admiring his photograph in catalogs for years, Archduke Charles took his place in my garden last year. I hope he likes it here because he is gorgeous!

AC also makes a great cemetery rose. I have two of them
planted on each side of my parent's monument. When they're
in full bloom, they remind me of a fully decorated christmas tree, with all of the lights turned on. More
people should grow this wonderful rose.

Sherry I love your pics of Archduke Charles. AC was one of my first antiques and still one of my favorites. In my garden the blooms turn deep red if they're exposed to direct sunlight. If it's cloudy for a few days they never reach that deep red color.

A long time ago, ARE suggested Archduke Charles as a terrific hedge. I think it would put Simplicity to shame -- and in my area at least, it is disease-free.

Here is "Orange Smith," a found rose which may be an 'Archduke Charles,' showing at lower right how dark it can shift.

{{gwi:241692}}

Jeri

FABULOUS!!!

Sherry, when we start heating up, he will turn to deep crimson, sometimes quickly. This is one of my favorite roses. I have two, and I'm going to try to root cuttings from him, as a hedge of Archduke Charles would be stunning.

Sandy

Sunday evening
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Sherry

He's gettin' there. :-)

Jeri

Sherry,
Looks like your Charles has been handsome from the start. Mine was pretty good, but the main metamorphosis was after a few years when the blooms started getting bigger. That was when it was getting enough rain too.

smaller blooms
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getting bigger
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{{gwi:241696}}

Linda

Oh, goodie, Linda. Big is excellent. Thanks for the photos. They're gorgeous.

Sherry

You guys are killin' me! I only have so much hole-digging energy!

-Greta

OMG! Looks like I have to add this one to my lust list! ;-)

Is there anyone in z10 Fla growing this beauty?

Sherry, if your AC is producing such great blooms in the pot, it won't be long before it looks like Linda's. Her pics are how I remember the blooms being. Thanks, Linda, I really enjoyed looking.

Thanks for posting this thread; I love this rose, and I can hardly wait until mine starts blooming.

Gean