Celery-Leaved Rose

PICTURE SOURCE Les Roses, Volume II (1821)

ORIGINAL BOTANICAL NAME Rosa Centifolia Bipinnata

ORIGINAL FRENCH NAME Rosier à feuilles de Céleri

CURRENT BOTANTICAL NAME R. centifolia variety

COMMON NAME Celery-Leaved Rose

OTHER NAMES Crinkled Rose, Gooseberry-Leaved Rose, Parsley-Leaved Rose

CLASS Centifolia

ORIGIN Sport from R. centifolia, early 1800s, introduced by Dupont

FLOWERING Once-flowering; summer

SCENT Very fragrant

GROWTH Smallish shrub

AVAILABILITY Thought to be extinct

For more information, don’t miss the introduction page; ‘Centifolia – The Old-Fashioned Cabbage Rose'

At left, picture of the Cabbage Rose, R. centifolia variety known as the ‘Celery-Leaved Rose’, painted by Redouté, portrait 61 out of 170, Volume II of Les Roses.

This rose was once grown for ‘the strangeness of its foliage’ – the ‘result of monstrous growth’ according to the words of Redouté & Thory.

The flowers, they say, were much like those of R. centifolia from which the Celery-Leaved Rose’ sported. But the leaves were a curiosity, described as ‘bipinnate’ (two-winged), almost kidney shaped, ‘doubly and deeply toothed’ and ‘often partially washed with a slightly reddish tint’. Its unusual leaves earned it the named ‘Celery Leaved Rose’ and according to the authors, it first appeared ‘12 or 15 years ago’ (early 1800s), as a ‘freak’ (a sport) from R. centifolia and was propagated by Monsieur Dupont.

Redouté & Thory mention that the foliage had a ‘constant tendency, especially on fertile soil’, to return to its original form; that of R.centifolia. And they advise that it must be grafted at intervals to preserve it. Grown on R.canina stock it was said to be a vigorous grower, but on its own roots it appeared to be a weak, lanky bush not reaching more than 1-1/2 feet (45 cm)

The Celery-Leaved Rose is now thought to be extinct and it seems that even within a decade or two of its introduction, it was already becoming scarce in gardens. Redouté & Thory comment ‘we have no notion why it has been neglected, for its foliage should make it desirable’. They go on to speculate that the decline in popularity may be attributed to the ‘multitude of aphids’ which cover the plant during the flowering season making it ‘unpleasing to the eye’. They also mention that it is ‘wisest to leave the plant alone, more or less, for we have noticed some very fine specimens die as a result of too much attention’

Obviously the leaves, no matter how desirable, were not enough to uphold the struggle for, against its fussy temperament, the constant sport reversion problem and the hoards aphids! Now Redouté’s beautiful rendition is the only record we have left of the Celery-Leaved Rose.