'Park’s Yellow Tea-Scented China' Rose

PICTURE SOURCE Choix des Plus Belles Fleurs (1827-33)

ORIGINAL BOTANICAL NAME Rosa Indica

ORIGINAL FRENCH NAME Rosier des Indes Jaune

CURRENT BOTANTICAL NAME R. chinensis x gigantea

COMMON NAME Park’s Yellow Tea-Scented China

OTHER NAMES R. x odorata ‘Sulphura’ Andrews Sweet, R. odorata var. ochroleuca, Old Yellow Tea

CLASS Tea

ORIGIN Old Chinese cultivator introduced to England by Parks, May 1824 and brought to France by Hardy, 1825. At the same time the English nurseryman, Knight, raised a yellow seedling from ‘Hume’s Blush’. Some authorities believe Redouté’s illustration may be this seedling.

FLOWERING Spring flowering with later flushes of bloom

SCENT Strong ‘tea-rose’ fragrance

GROWTH Vigorous climber

AVAILABILITY The rose that goes by this name in cultivation today is believed to be a close relative and not the original import from China

At left; picture of Park’s Yellow Tea-Scented China, R. chinensis x gigantea, painted by Pierre-Joseph Redouté, portrait 16 out of 17, Choix des Plus Belles Fleurs