I bought this one at SFA too - also the Scottsville rose, a once bloomer that is supposed to be the oldest rose in Texas, as well as climbing Belinda's Dream, a sport of Belinda's Dream. Would also enjoy hearing if anyone grows these.
Judith

I don't have experience with "Fanick's Pink MN" (in fact, I've never heard of it). I do, however, have experience with the Tea-Noisette, 'Kaisein Friedrich'.

The description of the Fanick rose as a vigorous climber sounds much more like another rose that often has been confused with 'Kaiserin Friedrich' -- the VERY vigorous climbing Tea, 'E. Veyrat Hermanos'. KF can be grown as a rather modest climber, but works quite effectively as a shrub.

A further complication with KF is that it has long been confused with the Tea, 'Madame Creux' (which has never been described as a climber). IIRC, Gregg Lowery eventually concluded that MC (at least the rose identified as MC in the U.S.) is, in fact, KF.

This post was edited by windeaux on Mon, Oct 7, 13 at 9:41

Are we to understand that there does exist a stable pink sport of Merechal Niel? Robin Delargy, at Vintage Bloomers, claimed she had one, but then VB went out of business, and Ms. Delargy herself does not seem to be involved with roses anymore, alas.

It must be close to 20 yrs since the death of Eddie Fanick, the longtime owner of Fanick's Nursery in San Antonio. If a stable pink sport of a rose as famous MN had been discovered at the nursery while Eddie was active there, it seems improbable that word of such an important find would not have circulated widely before now.

Sabalmatt_Dallas: I have a distinct recollection that a rose ID'd as "Marechal Niel Rouge" was passed around in Texas for quite a number of years after the late '80s. It was reported to be a rampant climber -- 15 to 20 ft. Do you know if the "Pink MN" you've acquired is the same as that "MN Rouge" rose?

I had a niggling déjàvu-like sense when I opened this today and read first about Sabalmatt's pink 'Maréchal Niel', and then Nastarana's post about Ms. Delargy's claim.

It didn't take much poking around to find a 3-yr-old thread that explained why all of this seemed strangely familiar. The startling discovery that I participated in the original discussion probably explains why my memory was stoked.

I hope someone will eventually identify this mysterious Pink Rose of Texas. Keep us posted, okay?

Here is a link that might be useful: 11/2010 Thread Re. Red MN

FWIW, Jax, I think the mystery is already solved. It's my bet that the rose is the vigorous climbing Tea, 'E. Veyrat Hermanos'. After commenting here earlier, I visited HMF to re-check the info available on 'Kaiserin Friedrich'. There, I found this 2004 entry by Marion Brandes in the "Member Comments" section:

" . . . Color Plate contained in Old Rose Advisor
I propagated this rose from the very old climber adjacent to the Fanek's Nursery in San Antonio in the mid-90's and made it available to Texas Rose Rustler's, after identifying it with the Old Rose Advisor."

I interpret that as meaning that Brandes's identification of the Fanek Nursey rose as 'Kaiserin Friedrich' was based SOLELY on a viewing of a very small reproduction of an antique color plate (Plate 196 in Dickerson's "The Old Rose Advisor). That, indeed, is a very flimsy bit of evidence upon which to base a firm pronouncement of identification.

The petal-packed blooms of 'E Veyrat Hermanos' vary radically in color -- sometimes almost solid ivory/apricot, sometimes blended with pink, & sometimes (usually in cool weather) showing a vivid, almost neon pink center surrounded by a narrow ruff of ivory petals. It's the latter coloration that must have led to the "Pink Marechal Niel" misnomer. While the color blend of 'Kaiserin Friedrich' is similar to that of EVH, hers is much more delicate and subtle -- and never neon pink.

On the HMF photo pages for KF, there are 7 photos (plus 3 artist renderings). Of those 7, I think only 1 is actually a photo of KF (the photo from a German source). All of the remaining 6 are photos of the Fanek Nursery foundling -- 2 submitted by Marion Brandes, and 4 of a plant provided to M. Orwat by Greg Grant of the Texas Rose Rustlers. IMO those 6 are photos of EVH.

My advice to Sabalmatt, Alameda & anyone else who purchased Pink MN at the SFA plant sale: Provide it with a large, very sturdy support and give it lots of space. I think it was the Aussie authors of the recent Tea Rose book who called EVH a "rose thug" that will take over whatever garden space the gardener will allow. Another indication of EVH's lust for life is the fact that cuttings of it are very easy to root. But, trust me -- you'll want only one in your garden.