Rose Classification - Species, Old Garden and the Modern Roses

There isn’t a true set of official classifications for roses, but there are a number of different popular schemes of classification that are used throughout the world. Many of the popular systems have been proposed by The American Rose Society who worked with the World Federation of Roses. This classification system isn’t the only one is use, but most rose growers will use this version internationally in order to best classify their roses.

There are three main groups of roses, according to the American Rose Society. These three groups include the Old Garden, the Species and the Modern Roses.

Species Roses
The Species Rose gets its name since it is the origin of every other rose class. They are also commonly referred to as the “wild rose.” Wild roses are easy to identify since they have five petals and only bloom once a season. They are often climbers and thorny shrubs. Some of the most popular Species roses, including the Cherokee Rose, Dog Rose, Gallic Rose, French Rose and Redleaf Rose. You can find the Species Roses mostly in the Northern Hemisphere since they flourish in more temperate climates.

Old Garden Roses
Old Garden Roses have only been around since 1867, which is a very short period of time when you consider that Species Roses have existed before man even walked the Earth! Most of the time, the Old Garden Roses will only bloom one time every season.

Typically, if you see an Old Garden Rose blooming, it means the beginning of summer has arrived. You can find the Old Garden Roses in a variety of colors, shrub and vine sizes to best fit your garden environment. The colors will vary, but most of the time, the Old Garden Roses are in a shade of white or pastel. They are often called “antique roses” and are great for lawns or home gardens because they are so easy to care for compared to other roses.

There are several different types of Old Garden Roses, including the China, Tea, Moss, Damask, Bourbon, Hybrid Perpetual and the Noisette styles. Most of the time, the antique roses will have a great, strong scent and will turn your garden into a wonderful paradise.

Modern Roses
The Old Garden Roses are the predecessors of the Modern Roses. If you have a rose that was identified past 1867, it will be considered a Modern Rose. Modern Roses are very popular. They were a result of cross-breeding between a hybrid tea rose and a polyanthus style. They have very vibrant, rich and bright colors and they will flower repeatedly over a season if you take great care of them.

People who love roses love the Modern Rose. The most popular Modern Roses are the hybrid team, the floribunda and the grandiflora. You can enjoy these Modern roses in your garden or lawn, but you will have to keep an eye on the temperature outside. These roses aren’t big fans of the cold weather!

Roses are classified within the three main groups, but within these groups, they are further classified by a number of criteria, including their growth habits, ancestry, date of introduction, color, scent, size and blooming characteristics. It is a somewhat impossible task to classify every rose, especially the hybrid rose which can seem like a grouping in and of themselves. This is the source of some debate among members of The American Rose Society.

         

Rose Types and Classifications