For centuries the colour black has been associated with death, decay and mystery; the black plague, the black underworld and the ‘black sheep of the family’. When we think of the rose, we imagine beauty, health and romance, a symbol of love and warmth. The Black rose is a mix of two opposites combining the mysterious with the beautiful.
Legend tells us that whoever receives a black rose will have a mystical and powerful experience. There are six types of black rose, the Black Baccara, Black Beauty, Black Magic, Black Ice, Black Velvet and Black Jade; all are such a deep red that they appear almost completely black.
The Black Baccara Rose
The Black Baccara rose with its velvet petals is the closest breeders have come to producing a naturally black rose. It is the darkest, most mysterious rose of them all. On its edges, the Baccara rose is almost black, but as the blossom unfurls, it reveals interior petals which are a rich burgundy red.
Black Baccara Roses were originally developed for the cut flower market, for they have an unusually long vase life as well as their unusual colouring. However, in 2004 the “Meidebenne” Black Baccara Hybrid Tea Rose was introduced for the garden and it has been discovered that it does not have a high resistance to disease. The Black Baccara Rose does not have a strong fragrance but adds a touch of mystery and intrigue to any garden that feeds it.
The Black Beauty Rose
The Black Beauty rose was introduced in 1973 from France. With large petals and long stems it is one of the Hybrid Tea varieties. They are similar to Black roses where they are having jet black in the bud stage, but will display a rich scarlet when they are wide open. The back of each petal is dark and velvety that feels soft and silky to the touch. This Black Beauty doesn’t have much fragrance; however the rose blooms all through summer and autumn. It is well worth pruning the Black Beauty rose, for when it blooms the colours are striking.
The Black Magic Rose
The Back Magic rose is the offspring of the ‘Guinee’ rose and has inherited its strong Damask perfume and rich red colour The black magic rose is a large flowered climber and they bloom for a significantly long time. These stunning flowers grow up to ten feet tall and fill the garden with a powerful burst of perfume. The Black Magic rose is strong, resistant to disease and extremely popular with rose enthusiasts around the globe.
The Black Ice Rose
The Black Ice is a cluster flowered Floribunda Rose and gets its name from the ‘Iceberg’ rose which is in the parentage. These wonderful roses have black buds that open up into beautiful scarlet blossoms that continue to grow throughout summer and autumn. They grow 2-3 feet in height.
The Black Velvet Rose
With its dark green leathery foliage, this large flowered Hybrid Tea is burgundy red with a black velvety look which is where its name originates. The roses grow one to a stem and grow up to six feet. The Black Velvet rose is known to be notoriously resistant to disease.
The Black Jade Rose
The Black Jade Rose has extremely strong stems that hold clusters of 5-10 blooms. Like most of its Black Rose cousins, the Black Jade rose is almost black as a bud, however when it opens up it reveals bright golden yellow stamens that contrast against the dark petals. The Black Jade rose is a repeat-flowering bush with glossy foliage and is extremely disease resistant. It grows up to three feet in height.
This post was supplied by Wesley Cude, Wesley is a keen gardener and writes for Midgard, Tree Surgeons in Surrey.
