About 30,000 varieties of roses are currently known, but their number is increasing every year
In the rose family, the varieties are almost endless. Centuries before they began to be cultivated in 19th century Europe, roses were already undergoing intense selection and blending, with the aim of breeding new varieties. Today, there are more than 30,000 species worldwide, divided into three main groups: old roses, modern roses, and wild roses.
Ancient roses
Ancient roses were already known before the end of the 19th century. They are strong and robust, as well as resistant to pests and diseases, so they do not require much care. As for their classification, there are thirteen main collections.
*Alba. Of large size, the sets of roses are composed of five to seven semi-double or double flowers. Their leaves are very copious and luminous.
*Borbonia. They sprout double flowers in groups of three, which bloom in summer and autumn. In general, they are climbers, so they are used to decorate walls and columns.
*Entifolia. They grow as thorny shrubs, with highly fragrant flowers. These are often double and bloom singly or in groups of three.
*China. They bloom on small to medium shrubs, in clusters of two to thirteen flowers. Shiny-leaved, they need a sheltered place to grow. They are ideal for borders and walls.
*Damascenes. They are shrubs of open appearance with semi-double or double flowers of great fragrance. They are recommended for borders, with which to delimit flowerbeds or paths.
*Gallica. It is a very thick and bushy rose bush, with very showy flowers and dull green leaves. It is found in groups of three different fragrances and looks great in borders and hedges.
*Perennial hybrid. They are shrubs with abundant branching. Its flowers are double, solitary or in groups of three, and its leaves are olive green. They are advisable for plantings and hedges.
*Mossy. Shrubs that are not very thick. They stand out for the hairiness, with aspect of moss or mildew, in the minor part of the calyx. Dark green leaves, double flowers sprout in summer.
*Noisettians. Climbing roses with large bunches of flowers and a slightly spicy scent. Its most suitable location is on south or west facing walls.
*Patio. Climbing shrubs with clusters of three to eleven flowers, single or double. They are well suited for borders, hedges and for growing in pots.
*Portland. These are dense, compact shrubs with semi-double or double flower clusters that grow singly or in groups of three. They are recommended for stepping stones and borders.
*Sempervirens. Semi-evergreen climbing roses, with many flowers. Ideal for decorating pergolas and fences.
*Tea. Shrubs also climbers, with single flowers or in sets of three semi-double or double, softly scented. Their leaves are pale green and shiny. They are excellent for stepping stones and borders.
Modern Roses
These roses date from after the 19th century, to 1987, when the first Hybrid Tea (an artificial hybrid) was developed. They group more than 95% of the roses planted today. They are divided into eight groups.
*Hybrid Tea. This is the largest group of modern roses and the most popular. They are low bushes, large roses that bloom throughout the year. There are thousands of varieties, some created especially for cut flowers.
*Climbers. These roses have long stems that allow them to climb pergolas, walls, fences, walls, columns or trellises.
Creepers or sermentosos. They are very similar to climbers. They have long, flexible stems and clusters of small flowers that bloom only once a year.
*Shrubs. These are large shrubs with many varieties, most of which are re-flowering (re-bloom within the year). They are used as isolated plants in lawns or as flowering hedges.
*Floribunda. Their flowers are small and form clusters, which makes them very colorful. They are also re-flowering. They are planted in groups and in one-color borders.
*Polyantha. They are compact bushes, very thick, loaded with small flowers. Like the floribundas, they are planted in groups and in borders of one color.
*Miniature. As their name indicates, they are very small roses that do not exceed 20 or 30 centimeters in height. They bloom in clusters and look very well in rockeries, flowerbeds, and borders. They can also be grown in pots and planters.
*Ground cover. These are creeping roses that grow sprawling on the ground. Some varieties bloom only once a year and others are re-flowering. They are used in rock gardens, walls, and flower beds.
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Wild rose bushes
Wild roses grow spontaneously in nature. All other roses are descended from them. One of the first wild roses to bloom each year is the banksia, a climber and resistant to coastal conditions, whose flowers are born in spring and form bunches of very small white or yellow roses, about 2 centimeters in diameter. Rosehips, also known as "dog rose" because of the resemblance of its thorns to the fangs of a canine, is a thorny shrub, one to three meters high, with pink or white flowers.
The rosa rugosa and the virginiana form shrubs that can grow up to two meters tall. Both are distinguished by their intense fragrance. Of smaller size, since they barely reach one meter in height, are the shrubs of the rosa gallica and pimpinellifolia. With straight, thorny branches, the gallica rose is purplish-red or pink, while the pimpinellifobla rose varies from white to yellow. Other wild varieties are the rose of Alexandria, the rose eglanteria or musk rose and the rose centifolia, whose flowers are highly valued for the production of essential oils.