Hybrid tea rose 'Versilia'

Synonyms: NIRpventyel Rose, apricot queen, barbara hendrix

Hybrid tea rose Versilia (Rose Versilia) is a hybrid tea rose cultivar. The cultivar was obtained in France by NIRP International in 1996. Awards: “Queen of the Show” in 1991 at the “Temecula Valley Rose Society Show” and “Court of Show / Honor” at the “Memphis Rose Society Show”, “Pacific Rose Society Show”, “Pacific Southwest District Show”.

It forms a medium-sized upright bush 100–120 cm in height and up to 70 cm wide. Leaves are dark green, glossy. Stems are strong and long.

Buds are large, beautifully goblet-shaped, well displayed against the foliage. Flowers consist of about 30 petals in soft pastel tones – pink-peach and champagne color, double, up to 12 cm in diameter. Blooms abundantly throughout the season (until frosts). Flowers retain their appearance for a long time. Fragrance is delicate and pleasant.

Hardiness zone: 7b (-12°C)

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

Soil: the most suitable soils for roses are heavy loamy soils rich in humus, well-aerated, moisture-retentive, 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 the cultivated 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, 150–200 g of wood ash. Dig the soil, mixing it with the fertilizers; organic matter in the soil mixture should not exceed 50%. Exact fertilizer rates are calculated based on soil analysis. Optimal contents of the main nutrients for the rose should be maintained in the following amounts, 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 temperate regions it is best to plant roses in spring — in 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 cut short to 10–15 cm, leaving only 2–4 buds on them. Trim roots slightly to live tissue. If the roses were dried, soak them in water for one day before planting, and immediately before planting dip the roots into a manure-clay slurry. Planting holes should be 50×50 cm and filled with a nutritious mix: 1 part sod-clay or garden soil, 1 part humus or compost — forming a mound. Place the seedling on the mound, spread the roots and cover with soil, compacting it thoroughly 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 5–8 cm thick to help retain moisture. Spacing in the row between hybrid teas, floribundas and polyanthas: 25–30 cm; between rows: 60–70 cm; park and climbing roses respectively 45–50 and 80–100 cm; miniatures 15–20 and 40–50 cm. When planting standard (grafted) roses, their grafted part is often wrapped with moss and tied with paper to prevent drying; remove this only after 1–1.5 weeks when buds begin to break. After planting mulch the soil with peat or earth in a layer of 3–5 cm. When planting non-remontant park roses, mulch with pine bark or wood chips.

Care: requires regular removal of shoots affected by pests and diseases and the removal of dry leaves. Watering is recommended during dry periods.

Pruning: performed in spring, summer and autumn. Main pruning is in spring when the bush is formed. It begins immediately after the plants have finally come out of dormancy or when planting in spring. Tops of shoots are cut regardless of cultivar; strong shoots are shortened to 10–15 cm, leaving 2–3 well-formed buds; on weak shoots leave 1–2 buds. For autumn plantings prune in spring immediately after removing protective cover. To encourage abundant flowering, remove old spent flowers.

Propagation: mainly by grafting and by cuttings. Cuttings are prepared at the bud stage or immediately after the first flowering. Shoots are cut from the bush and cut into cuttings 5–8 cm long with 2–3 leaves from the central part. Make the lower cut obliquely just below the bud, and the upper cut 1 cm above the bud. To reduce transpiration remove the lower leaf and part of the upper leaf. Handle leaves carefully; do not remove them completely, as cuttings will not root without leaves. Before planting, place cuttings for 18–20 hours in a root-forming 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. The bed should be located where it receives sun in the morning or evening, with shade at midday. As a substrate use coarse river sand, a mixture of vermiculite with sand, or sand with peat (1:1). Such a substrate in a layer of 3–4 cm is placed over sod-humus soil (8–10 cm). Plant the cuttings at an angle, burying them 1.5–2 cm. Then cover on the bed with glass or plastic jars, or cover the box with film. After planting water the cuttings several times a day, preferably with a sprayer, maintaining humidity at 80–90%. Remove fallen leaves. Within 2–3 weeks callus appears on the cuttings, and roots form within a month. Remove the jars or film, and grow on the cuttings, feeding every 2 weeks with a solution of ammonium nitrate or urea (15–20 g per bucket of water).

Diseases: disease resistance is high.

Pests: aphids, scale insects, leafroller, rose sawfly, thrips, rose leafhoppers/cicadas, inchworm caterpillars, leaf-cutting weevils, spider mites, nematodes. It is recommended to regularly spray hybrid tea roses with appropriate products for pest protection.

Use: ideal for cutting, effective in single and group plantings.