Hybrid tea rose "Impératrice Farah"

Synonyms: large-flowered roses

Hybrid tea rose “Impératrice Farah» ('Impératrice Farah' Rose) – a hybrid tea rose cultivar. It was first introduced in France in 1992 by Georges Delbrad (owner of the Delbrad rose-breeding company). Named in honor of the Iranian Empress Farah, who made a significant contribution to the development of Iran's culture and arts. In 1995 it received the «Crystal Rose» award in Orléans.

It is a vigorous, upright shrub 100–120 cm in height and up to 80 cm in width. Leaves are large, glossy, leathery, and pale green in color.

Flowers are large, up to 10–13 cm in diameter, double, appearing singly, less often in clusters of up to 5, on long straight shoots. Petal edges are pale raspberry-colored; the petals are rolled into a classic bud, with only the dark-colored tips folding outward. As they open, the petals become white with raspberry edges. Flowering is prolonged and abundant; flowers retain their beauty for up to 10 days. Fragrance is light and delicate.

Hardiness zone: 7b (-12°C)

Location: choose a sunny, bright site protected from strong, cold winds.

Soil: The most suitable soils for roses are heavy loams rich in humus, well-aerated, moisture-retentive, and slightly acidic (pH 5.8–6.5). Prepare the soil in autumn or at least one month before spring planting. It is very important to cultivate the soil to a depth of 50–60 cm. Per 1 m2 of treated layer, add 10–20 g of manure, humus or peat compost, 300–400 g of lime, 400–500 g of bone meal, 40–50 g of superphosphate, and 150–200 g of wood ash. Dig the soil, mixing in the fertilizers; organic matter in the soil mix should not exceed 50%. Exact fertilizer rates should be calculated based on soil analysis. Optimal contents of the main nutrients for the rose should be maintained in the following ratios, mg per 100 g of soil: nitrogen – 10–20 (NH4NO3), phosphorus (P2O5) – 60–80, potassium (K2) – 80–100, calcium (CaO) – 720.

Planting: It is recommended to plant in the first half of the day. In the temperate zone, roses are best planted in spring – late April to early May; in the south – in autumn. Before planting, remove all damaged and diseased shoots and roots from the seedling. Strong shoots are pruned short to 10–15 cm, leaving only 2–4 buds on them. Trim the roots slightly down to living tissue. If the roses were dried, soak them in water for 24 hours before planting, and immediately before planting dip the roots into a manure-clay slurry. Prepare planting holes sized 50×50 cm and fill them with a nutritious mixture: 1 part turf-loam or garden soil, 1 part humus or compost – forming a small mound. Set the seedling on the mound, spread the roots and cover with soil, tamping it well so there are no air pockets between roots and soil, and water abundantly. Bury the graft union 3–5 cm below the soil surface. After watering, hill the roses. Protect shoots from drying. After shoots appear, rake the soil and mulch with humus or peat to a layer of 5–8 cm to help retain moisture. Spacing in a row between hybrid tea, floribunda and polyantha roses: 25–30 cm, between rows – 60–70 cm; park and climbing roses: 45–50 cm and 80–100 cm respectively; miniatures – 15–20 cm and 40–50 cm. When planting standard (grafted) roses, to prevent drying their grafted part is often covered with moss and wrapped in paper, which is removed only after 1–1.5 weeks when buds begin to break. After planting, mulch the soil with peat or soil to a layer of 3–5 cm. When planting non-remontant park roses, mulch the soil with pine bark or wood chips.

Care: requires regular pruning of shoots affected by pests and diseases, as well as removal of dead leaves. Watering is recommended during dry periods.

Pruning: carried out in spring, summer and autumn. The main pruning is done in spring when the bush is shaped. This begins immediately after the plants have fully broken dormancy or at spring planting. Cut the top parts of shoots regardless of cultivar; strong shoots are shortened to 10–15 cm, leaving 2–3 well-formed buds, on weak shoots – 1–2. If planted in autumn, pruning is done in spring immediately after removing the shelter.

Propagation: mainly by grafting and cuttings. Cuttings are prepared during bud formation or immediately after the first flowering. Cut shoots from the bush and immediately cut cuttings 5–8 cm long from the central part with 2–3 leaves. Make the lower cut obliquely just below the bud, and the upper cut 1 cm above the bud. To reduce evaporation, remove the lower leaf and part of the upper leaves. Leaves should be handled carefully; they cannot be completely removed, as cuttings will not root without them. Before planting, place cuttings for 18–20 hours in a rooting stimulant, immersing the ends 1–1.5 cm. This can be a 0.01% solution of heteroauxin. You can also use Kornevin, sodium humate (1 tablet per 1 l of water), aloe (10 drops per glass of water) or honey (1 teaspoon per glass of water). Then rinse the cuttings with clean water and plant them. Plant cuttings in a box or on a bed located where morning or evening sun reaches, while daytime sun provides shade. Substrate usually used is coarse river sand, a mixture of vermiculite with sand, or sand with peat (1:1). This substrate is poured in a 3–4 cm layer over turf-humus soil (8–10 cm). Plant cuttings at an angle, burying them 1.5–2 cm. Then cover on the bed with glass or plastic jars, and cover the box with film. After planting, moisten the cuttings several times a day, preferably with a spray bottle, maintaining humidity at 80–90%. Remove fallen leaves. After 2–3 weeks a callus appears on the cuttings, and roots form after about a month. Remove jars or film, and grow the cuttings on, feeding every 2 weeks with a solution of ammonium nitrate or urea (15–20 g per bucket of water).

Diseases: highly resistant to black spot and powdery mildew.

Pests: aphids, scale insects, leafroller, rose sawfly, thrips, rose cicadas, geometer caterpillars, leaf-cutting beetles, spider mites, nematodes. It is recommended to regularly spray hybrid tea roses with suitable pest-control products.