Graceful flowers and lovely fountain form, alba roses are classified as Old Garden Roses because they were developed prior to the introduction of the first hybrid tea in 1867.
Cultivation Information and How To Grow Alba Roses
Hardiness Zones - Alba roses are hardy in zone 5 with no protection. Some are hardy to zone 3.
Bloom Time & Color - Alba roses bloom once a year in mid-summer for several weeks. The Alba class roses are always white, near white or pink color classifications.
Foliage - The foliage of alba roses is typically blue or gray-green providing contrast with other roses.
Growth Habit - Albas have long, arching canes and some can be trained up walls as climbing roses.
Dimensions - Most alba rose bushes will grow 6-9’ unless otherwise noted.
Preferred Conditions - Alba roses prefer full sun but are one of the more shade tolerant roses. In fact, some albas are even suitable for growing up a northern wall exposure and those are detailed below.
Maintenance - Since alba roses bloom on second year wood or older you won’t need to heavily prune these roses each year. Prune out dead canes after each winter or tip back the longest canes in mid-summer if the long, cascading canes get out of bounds, but otherwise albas can go many years with no pruning at all.
Pests or Diseases - Alba roses are disease resistant.
Using Alba Roses in the Garden Landscape
Companion Plants - Albas can be trained up a shadier wall to provide a backdrop for hellebores, hostas, or other shade plants. Or combine alba roses with other heirloom or medieval era plants for a more historically accurate theme garden.
Uses in the Garden - The more compact alba cultivars can be used as a typical rose bush shrub, but most albas can be trained up a wall, tree or trellis. Or drape their long canes dramatically through the garden. Use as hedges, near sitting areas, in a fragrance garden, a cut flower garden or a white flower theme garden.
Other Uses - Alba roses produce bountiful and showy rose hips each year which add autumn and winter interest, provide food for wildlife and are prized for use in teas. The most fragrant cultivars are also used to extract “attar of roses” essential oils.
Specific cultivars of Alba roses
There are many named cultivars, some that have been cultivated and named for hundreds of years. Often a rose would get a name in one country, and another name in a different country. Alternate names are listed along with hardiness zones and ARS ratings when available.
- Rosa alba ‘White Rose of York’ aka Rosa alba ‘Semi-Plena’ –Well-known symbol for the House of York during the “War of the Roses”, semi-double milk-white flowers, highly fragrant, shade tolerant (use to climb northern wall!), Hardy zones 3-9, ARS rating 8.9.
- Rosa alba ‘Queen of Denmark’ or ‘Koenigin von Danemarck’ – (1826) Excellent beginners rose; medium-pink rose; highly fragrant (Damask scent); flowers are very doubled, quartered or rosette form; most compact alba rose 5’tall x 4’wide; Hardy zones 4 (some winter protection) zone 8 (zone 9 with more shade); ARS rating 8.6.
- Rosa alba ‘Felicite de Parmentier’ –Upright alba to 5’; double 3” flowers; light pink; 6 week bloom season; strong sweet scent and are present for about 6 weeks a year; shade tolerant; Hardy zones 4-9; ARS rating 8.7. One of the better albas for a small garden space.
- Rosa alba ‘Great Maiden’s Blush’ – (Prior to 1738) Creamy-pink or soft pink; very double flowers; long flowering season (to 6 weeks); poopular cottage garden choice; disease free; Hardy zones 4-10; ARS rating 8.9.
- Rosa alba ‘Mme Plantier’ aka ‘The Bride’s Rose’ – (1835) Long cascading branches; 15’ long if allowed to grow unrestrained; vigorous grower; cream colored very double flowers; blooms in clusters; good choice to climb east or north wall; Hardy zones 3-9; ARS rating unknown.
- Rosa alba ‘Maxima’ aka ‘Great Double White’, ‘Jacobite Rose’, or ‘Cheshire Rose’ – (Prior to 1500) Large alba to 10’; double blush-pink flowers; blooms up to 8 weeks; strong sweet fragrance; Hardy zones 4-8; ARS Rating 8.4; Best if left unpruned so allow plenty of room to spread out.
- Rosa alba ‘Jeanne d’Arc’ – Smaller form of ‘Maxima’ above; loose double flowers; flesh tone fading to creamy ivory; Hardy zones 3-9; ARS Rating unknown.
- Rosa alba ‘Celeste’ aka ‘Celestial’ – (circa 1739) Most graceful alba; semi-double; pure pale pink; 6’ tall; Sweetly fragrant; Very disease resistant; Hardy zones 5-9; ARS Rating over 8.5.
Have you used Alba roses in your garden? Join our discussion on using roses and let us know how!
Sources: Cultivar information is based on American Rose Society “Handbook for Selecting Roses” 2007. Additional information on using roses in the garden was found in The Heirloom Country Garden by Sarah Heffner. Historic information was also found in The Rose Book by Graham Stuart Thomas and Paul Barden's website on historic roses.
