PLANT LIBRARY

Other Names:  Saint Swithun, English Rose

Group/Class:  Austin Rose

Description:

This elegant, tall shrub produces full, soft pink blooms in flushes all season long; strong fragrance; can also be trained as a climber with stunning results; needs full sun and well-drained soil; good disease resistance; a strong and healthy shrub

Ornamental Features

St. Swithun Rose features showy fragrant shell pink flowers at the ends of the branches from early summer to early fall. The flowers are excellent for cutting. It has forest green deciduous foliage. The glossy oval compound leaves do not develop any appreciable fall color.

Landscape Attributes

St. Swithun Rose is a multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.

This is a high maintenance shrub that will require regular care and upkeep, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Disease
• Spiny

St. Swithun Rose is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Hedges/Screening
• General Garden Use

Planting & Growing

St. Swithun Rose will grow to be about 5 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 4 feet. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 20 years.

This shrub should only be grown in full sunlight. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid.