Old Blush
Encyclopedia
Rosa 'Old Blush', also known as 'Parsons' Pink China', 'Old Blush China', 'Old China Monthly' etc., is a China rose derived from Rosa chinensis
, and is generally accepted as the first East Asian rose cultivar to reach Europe. It is recorded in Denmark
in 1752 and England
in 1793.
'Old Blush', together with 'Slater's Crimson China' and the tea roses 'Hume's Blush Tea-scented China' and 'Parks' Yellow Tea-scented China', introduced to European gardens roses which would bloom repeatedly from spring to fall, whereas the Old European roses tend to bloom only once, on the previous year's wood. The Chinas and Teas became the foundation of numerous new classes of roses, including the Bourbons, Noisettes, Hybrid Perpetuals, and thence the Modern Roses.
'Old Blush' itself was parent to two of these classes: a natural cross of 'Old Blush' with 'Autumn Damask' on the Ile de Bourbon gave rise to 'Rose Edouard', the first Bourbon rose; and John Champneys' hybrid of 'Old Blush' with the Musk Rose was 'Champneys' Pink Cluster,' the first Noisette.
Rosa chinensis
Rosa chinensis, known commonly as the China Rose, is a member of the genus Rosa native to Southwest China in Guizhou, Hubei, and Sichuan Provinces....
, and is generally accepted as the first East Asian rose cultivar to reach Europe. It is recorded in Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
in 1752 and England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1793.
'Old Blush', together with 'Slater's Crimson China' and the tea roses 'Hume's Blush Tea-scented China' and 'Parks' Yellow Tea-scented China', introduced to European gardens roses which would bloom repeatedly from spring to fall, whereas the Old European roses tend to bloom only once, on the previous year's wood. The Chinas and Teas became the foundation of numerous new classes of roses, including the Bourbons, Noisettes, Hybrid Perpetuals, and thence the Modern Roses.
'Old Blush' itself was parent to two of these classes: a natural cross of 'Old Blush' with 'Autumn Damask' on the Ile de Bourbon gave rise to 'Rose Edouard', the first Bourbon rose; and John Champneys' hybrid of 'Old Blush' with the Musk Rose was 'Champneys' Pink Cluster,' the first Noisette.