Alba Roses

Alba Roses (white roses)
The alba are white roses which are derived from the Rosa arvensis and the Rosa alba. They are the oldest garden roses. These flowers flower once every year in the spring. They mostly have blossoms of white or pale pink.

Alba Roses are hybrids whose antiquity may go back further than the Roman Empire. Pliny, who lived from 23-79 A.D., mentioned white roses in his Natural History. Botanists believe these roses may have been Albas.

Graham Thomas supports Dr. C. C. Hurst's theory that Albas are derived from the dog rose, Rosa canina, and the Damask rose, Rosa damascena. (More on this can be found in The Graham Stuart Thomas Rose Book).

Albas make elegant upright shrubs with beautiful blue-green foliage, which some may call grey. Botanists have differentiated the Albas from other roses by their grey, scentless leaflets. They only bloom in spring. They have delicate coloring ranging from white through exquisite soft shades of pink. They have a penetrating pure rosy fragrance with tones of citrus. They are resistant to disease for the most part. Many can tolerate shade, drought, and are winter hardy.

Christopher Brickell suggests pruning Albas like Centifolias, Mosses, and most Damasks. He groups these roses together because they mainly flower on short lateral and sublateral shoots produced from second-year or older wood. These roses also regularly produce vigorous basal or near-basal shoots, which may grow 5-8 feet in one season. He suggests tipping back unripe or damaged shoots in the first year. For the second and following years, he suggests cutting back long new basal growths by up to one-third in February or March. He notes that care must be taken not to cut back the new shoots too much or the elegant arched habit can be lost. He also recommends cutting back laterals on flowered shoots to 2-3 eyes or 4-6 inches. It is also a good idea to cut out any badly placed shoots. In addition, summer dead-heading and tipping back extra-long growths to minimize wind-rock is encouraged in September to November.