| Rosa 'Blush Noisette' | |
| Group: | Noisette[1] |
| Origin: | Phillipe Noisette, pre-1814 (South Carolina, USA) |
| Hybrid: | 'Champney's Pink Cluster' × unknown |
| Marketing Names: | Rosa noisettaeana, 'Noisette de l'Inde, 'Noisette Carnée' |
Rosa 'Blush Noisette is a light pink Noisette rose introduced by Phillipe Noisette (Charleston, South Carolina) around 1815. It was one of the first Noisette roses, and over time has been called by a multitude of names, including Rosa × noisettiana, 'Rosier de Philippe Noisette', 'Noisette de l'Inde, 'Blush Cluster', or 'Noisette Carnée' (French for Flesh-coloured Noisette). According to the RHS Encyclopedia of Roses, the cultivar is mostly called 'Blush Noisette' in America, and otherwise known as 'Noisette Carnée'. 'Blush Noisette' arose as a seedling from the light pink rose hybrid 'Champney's Pink Cluster', introduced by Champneys around 1811 (synonym 'Champneyana'),[2] and was the first frost-hardy climber flowering repeatedly, giving the cultivar importance as a parent rose.
The dainty, cupped, semi-double to double flowers appear solitary and in tight clusters on long, smooth stems. They have a diameter of up to 2.5inches with up to 35 petals. Their colour changes from crimson buds to pale lilac pink and fades to pinkish white in mature petals.[1] 'Blush Noisette' is described to have a characteristic clove-like fragrance varying in strength.[3] The flowers appear continuously throughout the season, that can span the entire year in warmer regions.[4]
The vigorous plant is a small climber or a tall shrub rose, reaching 1.5 to 2.5 meters height (5' to 8') at a width of 1.5 m (5'), but needs a few years to grow to its final height, as the cultivars puts more energy into its many flowers. As a climber, the cultivar can be trained to reach heights of up to 4.5m (14.8feet). The dense shrub has long arching shoots with a reddish colour, very few prickles,[5] and many soft, glossy leaves. The foliage is medium to dark grey green with crimson veins.[6] 'Blush Noisette' tolerates half shade, is disease resistant and heat tolerant, but not hardy in severe winters (USDA zone 7) and the flowers are easily damaged by rain.[1] [7] It can be grown solitary, in dense hedges,[8] or with some support be trained as a climber and is well suited for obelisk trellises.