Can anyone help with a quiz question on roses?

16 Oct '05 11:13 am

The quiz question is in a gardening magazine.

The wording is

"Which rose is known for its aromatic foliage (botanical name please)"

I have searched my gardening books and the web but cannot come up with anything.

The prize if I win the quiz (unlikely!) is a garden shredder which I would love to have, but really I'm just entering the competition for fun. It's very difficult and I have answered all the other 19 questions, but this one eludes me.

If anyone has any knowledge of any roses with aromatic foliage, i would be glad to hear from you!

Thanks

Heather

18 Oct '05 8:03 am

...dear Heather, that the question is sort of "playful"...Meaning, for example, a plant that contains in its name the word "Rose", but it is not actually a Rose. In the French language there is a "Rose Tremier" and a "Laurier Rose", when their actual botanical names are Alcea Rosea and Nireum (or Nerium)Oleander, respectively. So: are there any plants with aromatic folliage, whose botanical names contain the term "Rose"??

Just a thought..

Love, Liza

18 Oct '05 11:16 am

Dear Liza,

Thank you so much. Your reply made me start thinking laterally which I had not been doing, and now I think I know the answer.

I think it is Cistus Ladanifer or Rock rose, which of course as you suggested, is not a real Rose.

It all makes sense, as the quiz (which is in Hillier's Garden Magazine) is very much based on the meaning of latin plant names. And althoug my school latin is now very rusty, I found via Google that ladanum means - a soft blackish-brown resinous exudate from various rockroses used in perfumes especially as a fixative

And according to my plant reference book, Rock roses are small shrubs of scrub and dry woodland regions of southern Europe and North Africa; grown for their showy flowers and soft often downy and aromatic evergreen foliage

This all sound right.

So I am very grateful to you. I don't know how much time I spent reading about Roses (a lot) trying in vain to find one which had aromatic foliage, but there again it was not a total waste of time as it was enjoyable.

In the unlikely event that I win the competition, I will have to send you a cheque to buy yourself a treat (a new Rose, perhaps?).

One way or another, give yourself a pat on the back (or a glass of wine?) for being so clever!

Thanks again

Heather
Hampshire, UK

PS My middle name is Rose. My parents own a nursery in Essex which specialises in growing New Zealand and Australian plants, but although my Dad is very knowledgeable about rare palnts, he knows nothing about Roses (or Heathers for that matter!)

18 Oct '05 7:27 pm

Wow! I'm so happy for you, my love!!

And my...present is already there!! I'm sharing your joy!! But in case you win, do you think, that there is a possibility --everything paid by me-- to receive from you here in Belgium a tiny New Zealand plant?? Anyone you choose...with vivid colors?? And living in zone hardiness 6,I would love it to live naturally in the garden.If not,every Autumn it will enter my green house, and every Spring will move out into the garden, like some other of my sensitive perennials.

You know, since I've been connected with this...blooming, friendly, human and animal friendly site, every time I hear the word "N.Zealand" here in Belgium, my heart beats like crazy!!...The other day, they were selling N.Zealand yellow kiwis in the Super Market, and I bought 20 of them! Although their price.... And I'm the only one who eats them in my family...

Well, that's it for today!

Be always happy like today, Heather!

Liza

19 Oct '05 9:03 am

Dear Heather,

You mentioned in your very interesting letter with your research, that Cistus Ladanifer is grown in S. Europe.

Well,since I do love making research like yours and I'm of Greek origin (:S. Europe),look what I found (with great photos)in one of my books:

"The flowers of the Rock Rose are short-lived, the papery petals opening in the morning and falling before nightfall. But new buds appear regularly during the flowering season,and the shrub is constantly in bloom during June-July. This is not a plant for shade or heavy soil, although it thrives in other problem sites such as chalky soils, sands, and seaside gardens. The great enemy is frost--no variety is completely hardy. Some exude a sweet smelling gum and all bear attractive flowers in various hues.
Some of the most beautiful Rock Roses are unfortunately tender--an example is the large-flowered Gum Cistus (:Cistus Ladanifer)!"

Yes! I think I've seen this shrub, and the Greeks call it "Wild Rose"! It looks like another shrub called Potentilla Fructicosa , but Rock Rose's flowers are much larger!

Thank you , Heather, for you inspired me to learn something new in the Plant World today!

Love, Liza

19 Oct '05 7:41 pm

I think the 'rock rose ' angle is correct - given the insistence on a botanical name - but according to the new rose book bought today, Refulgence's leaves have a sweet apple scent.
cheers
Susan

19 Oct '05 8:45 pm

Heather,

A few moments ago, I discovered Moosey's own Rock Rose wonderful photos! It is worthed to try and find them!! Go to Home, and look in the Shrubs section! Beautiful Rock Roses' photos!

But , Yes! You should also search in Google about the Rose mentioned by Susan! Because you will find it mentioned with its fragrant foliage by the "1998 Vermont Rose Trials Ratings"! I don't know, though, what I should do if I were at your place, because the Refulgence Rose is not "known", as stressed in the question; while Rock Rose is a quite common shrub... But, still, If you add the term "Rose" by the Rose's name, why not to be a correct answer, too??

Think hard! Good luck!

Love, Liza

21 Oct '05 10:38 pm

Thanks very much to both of you for your help.
I found the pictures of the Rock Rose and agree it looks lovely.
The Refulgence Rose sounds amazing too; I wonder how they managed to breed aroma into the leaves as it doesn't appear that it is a normal characteristic of roses in general.

I have decided to be clever and give both answers as maybe it will impress the competition judge as he or she may never have heard of the Refulgence rose.

I will post my entry this afternoon but the closing date is not until the end of January so I will have a long wait to know if I am lucky!

Best wishes

Heather

24 Oct '05 11:34 am

best of luck to you
cheers
Susan

6 Nov '05 6:47 am

Thorns can be very sculptural, artistic, even. But has anyone successfully weeded underneath a Mermaid rose without wishing they were wearing full body armour? if there was a prize for the 'best' thorns, I'd give it to Mermaid.

Can anyone help with a quiz question on roses?

Can anyone help with a quiz question on roses?

Is it possible...,

You are brilliant!!!

I'm so happy for you!!

"Cistus Ladanifer"

Moosey's Rock Rose link! And a new fragrant foliage!