Rosa gallica officinalis Etoile Pourpre - Old Gallic Rose

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Rosa gallica officinalis Etoile Pourpre - Old Gallic Rose

Rosa x gallica officinalis Etoile Pourpre
Purple Star

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A bush in the fashion of yesteryear, which only blooms once in summer. Its large, fully double flowers are highly fragrant and of a pretty purplish colour that fades a little as they open up. They bloom in small clusters on a vigorous, upright young plant adorned with light green foliage. Plant it in beds, in groups, or as a low hedge. Its flowers are delightful in bouquets.

Flower size

8 cm

Height at maturity

1.35 m

Spread at maturity

1 m

Exposure

Sun, Partial shade

Hardiness

Hardy down to -23°C

Soil moisture

Moist soil

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Best planting time February, October to November

Recommended planting time January to April, September to December

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Flowering time June to July

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Description

The 'Etoile Pourpre' Rose is a beautiful creation by Louis Lens, resulting from the cross between the Gallica Officinalis Provin Rose and the 'Holland Star' Rose'. Its large, fully double flowers, fashioned in the old-fashioned way, are highly fragrant, and their colour is a rich purplish red with hints of pink. The plant is a vigorous bush with light green foliage. It is a modern variety with the charm of old roses and their non-repeat character. It will be superb in borders, groups, low hedges, and nostalgic bouquets.

The 'Etoile Pourpre' Rose is an original creation by Louis Lens dating back to 1998. The plant forms a bush with an upright but flexible habit in a few years, with thorny stems reaching a height of between 1.20 m (4ft) and 1.50 m (5ft) with a spread of about 1 m (3ft). Its foliage is divided into wide, finely toothed leaflets, light green, often marginated with purple. This deciduous foliage falls in autumn. The flowering occurs from June to July. The roses, 8 cm (3in) wide, are fully double and grouped in small clusters. Their purplish red colour at the opening fades somewhat as they unfold, displaying more pink tones with a touch of mauve. The fragrance of the flowers is moderate to strong, depending on the temperature and time of day. It evokes that of the Gallica Officinalis Rose.

If you have enough space, old or shrub roses are magnificent when planted in groups of three. They grow together to form a beautiful, abundant mass of flowers. The 'Etoile Pourpre' Rose can also be planted in a low hedge, even in partial shade. The purplish red of its flowers harmonizes perfectly with pink and creates interesting combinations with grey or purple foliage. To accompany it, choose, for example, the 'Gros Provins panache' old roses, 'Baronne Prevost', 'Powis Castle' artemisias, or a 'Black Light' Physocarpus. It creates beautiful borders in shades of pink and mauve, in the company of roses such as 'Jacques Cartier' or 'Salet'. In a vase, the flowers of the 'Etoile Pourpre' Rose are magnificent, with lilacs, peonies, and purple irises.

Rosa gallica officinalis Etoile Pourpre - Old Gallic Rose in pictures

Flowering

Plant habit

Height at maturity 1.35 m

Spread at maturity 1 m

Habit Irregular, bushy

Growth rate fast

Flowering

Flower colour purple

Flowering time June to July

Inflorescence Corymb

Flower size 8 cm

Fragrance Fragrant

Good for cut flowers Cut flower blooms

Foliage

Foliage persistence Semi-evergreen

Foliage colour green

Botanical data

Genus

Rosa

Species

x gallica officinalis

Cultivar

Etoile Pourpre

Family

Rosaceae

Other common names

Purple Star

Origin

Cultivar or hybrid

Planting and care

Plant the 'Purple Star' rose from November to March in ordinary, well-prepared and well-drained soil. Roses prefer clay soils, rather heavy than light. In too sandy, too compact or too dry soil in summer, burying compost, well-rotted manure or compost at the bottom of the planting hole is preferable. However, this rose dreads waterlogged soils in winter. Place it in a sunny or semi-shaded position during the hottest hours. Roses are hungry plants; a specific fertiliser application will be beneficial at the start of vegetation and then regularly during the flowering period. To encourage repeat flowering, regularly remove faded flowers. Floribunda rose varieties are more vigorous and more floriferous than large-flowered rose varieties. Therefore, the stems should be pruned to about a quarter of their length (from 4 to 6 eyes from the base of the stem) at the end of winter. Always prune above an outward-facing eye so that the bush thickens and the branches do not become tangled in the centre of the branches.

Planting period

Best planting time February, October to November

Recommended planting time January to April, September to December

Intended location

Suitable for Meadow, Woodland edge

Type of use Border, Hedge

Hardiness Hardy down to -23°C (USDA zone 6a) Show map

Ease of cultivation Amateur

Planting density 1 per m2

Planting spacing Every 100 cm

Exposure Sun, Partial shade

Soil pH Any

Soil type Clayey (heavy), Clayey-chalky (heavy and alkaline), Silty-loamy (rich and light)

Soil moisture Moist soil, rich, furnished.

Care

Pruning instructions Stems should be shortened by about a quarter of their length (4 to 6 buds from the base of the stem) after flowering. Always prune above an outward-facing bud so that the bush fills out and the branches do not become tangled in the centre of the branch.

Pruning Pruning recommended once a year

Pruning time July to August

Soil moisture Moist soil

Disease resistance Good

Overwinter Can be left in the ground

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