Rose Frederic Mistral

The most widespread and numerous group of roses is, of course, hybrid tea. In almost every garden you can find one or several varieties at once, representing this group. Among the many magnificent varieties, Frederic Mistral, a very romantic and delicate flower, has been firmly in the top ten for many years. Gardeners appreciate it for its durability and reliability, harmonious beauty and aroma. The variety is unique in that it can be grown as a garden plant and for cutting. Our hero has gained many fans in Russia.

History of creation

Variety Frederic Mistral - a real French, belonging to the selection of Alain Meilland. The variety appeared in the Meilland rose company, which gave the world a legendary Gloria Day... The novelty has become a worthy representative of the recognizable Romantic series. In 1995, the variety was officially introduced to America as Frederick Mistral. The rose received this name in honor of the Provencal poet and lexicographer, winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1904, one of the leaders of the movement for the revival of Provencal literature. The registration name is MEItebros. Another name under which the variety is sometimes found is The Children´s Rose. As material for selection were used: seed obtained from crossing Perfume Delight x Prima Ballerina (hybrid tea, Tantau, 1957) and pollen from The McCartney Rose.

Awards

Over the years since its presentation, the variety has won numerous awards. In 1993, in Baden-Baden (Germany), he received a prize for aroma. In 1994, our hero was awarded three awards at once: Winner of the Rose Competitions in Monza (Italy) and Rölkse (Belgium), as well as a prize for fragrance at a competition in Rölx (Belgium).

Description

The plant has good vigor. The bush is upright, powerful, medium thickened, high. The usual height is 90 - 110 cm, but in warm regions Frederic Mistral can grow up to 200 cm.The crown of the shrub is not spreading, about 70 cm wide, but with good growth it can grow in width up to 120 cm.The shoots are straight, strong, not drooping, the thorns are large, but few in number or absent altogether. The foliage is good. The leaves are large, pinnate, rich green color, with a matte or slightly shiny surface. The leaf blades are oval, with a slightly protruding apex. Usually, the shoot is crowned with a single flower, but many growers note that inflorescences consisting of 2 - 5 flower rosettes can often form.

Frederic Mistral buds are round-ovate, dense. At the beginning, the flower has the classic shape of a hybrid tea rose, its petals are neatly arranged, the center rises above the outer petals. But as it dissolves, it becomes more and more like an old English rose, multi-tiered and lush. Bending strongly backward, the outer petals form sharp peaks, and the inner ones often form four separate sectors. The rosette is densely double, consisting of 40 or 45 petals and is very large, its diameter is 9 - 11 cm. The petals are rather dense, matte. The color is very delicate, pearl pink, the underside of the petals is slightly richer.

Flowering period

Frederic Mistral is a re-blooming variety. Blooms in tides throughout the season with short breaks. The beginning of flowering falls on the first summer month - June, bud formation stops by the onset of stable cold weather. Abundant flowering cannot be called, since the flowers appear mainly singly, but large and densely double rosettes give the perennial a rich and luxurious look. Each flower rosette opens up gradually and lasts quite a long time - the whole process takes up to two weeks, even longer in cool weather. In the heat, it fades much faster. The petals of a faded flower do not dry out, but fall off, so the bush looks neat. In the sun, the color fades slightly, becoming even lighter. The aroma of the variety is strong and incredibly pleasant, as evidenced by the awards.Many rose growers catch the scent of an old damask rose in it. But some sources describe the scent romantically in French, noting that all the scents of Provence come together in the Frederic Mistral flower.

Characteristics

• The originators of the variety declare very good frost resistance of the plant. The crop is able to withstand frosts from -20.6 ° C to -23.3 ° C, which corresponds to USDA zone 6 (a system adopted by the US Department of Agriculture). The variety also feels quite comfortable in zone 5 of the USDA at temperatures from -26.1 ° C to -28.9 ° C. True, in such regions for the winter, the plant needs shelter. In the spring, do not rush to remove the shelter, since awakened kidneys are very sensitive to recurrent cold snaps;
• immunity is excellent, which is confirmed by flower growers. Our hero is highly resistant to the main diseases of the culture - powdery mildew and black spot, even in unfavorable years he practically does not suffer from them. But this only applies to adult and healthy plants. In the summer heat, thrips and bronzes, which are attracted by a strong odor, can disturb the rose;

• Frederick Mistral's resistance to rain is declared to be low. But the rose growers say that the flowers are able to withstand short precipitation, the petals do not suffer (except for the spots that appear), only the heavier sockets droop slightly. But during a period of high humidity, the flowers lose their attractiveness, and the buds do not open;
• according to the observations of rose growers, a sophisticated Frenchwoman loves the sun of central Russia, the petals do not melt;
• another feature of Frederic Mistral is the ability to maintain a delicate color and beautiful shape in a vase for a long time.

Agrotechnics

Roses are planted mainly in spring, at the end of April - May, depending on weather conditions. The requirements for the site are usual - a lot of sun, protection from strong winds, nutritious and loose soil. Lowlands, where cold air and excess moisture accumulate, areas with acidic soil and proximity to raspberries, cherries, and mountain ash are not suitable for planting. Despite the fact that our hero is sun-loving, in the south it is still better for the plant to be in diffused partial shade during the midday period. Watering is required in moderation, but sufficient. In temperate climates, it is enough to moisten the shrub once a week with 2 - 3 buckets of water. But in the heat, the frequency of watering should be increased to 2 times a week or one and a half. A good way to keep moisture in the soil is by mulching. Top dressing: in spring, nitrogen, which is applied immediately after pruning, during the flowering period, potassium and phosphorus. By the way, the culture will not be against organic matter, but you should be very careful with it, as an improperly prepared solution can burn the roots. Prevention of diseases and pests is carried out at least 2 times at the beginning of the growing season. Pruning - standard technology for hybrid tea crops.

Frederic Mistral is one of the most fragrant and delicately colored varieties, which rightfully ranks with the best achievements of Meilland and maintains the world prestige of French breeding at a high level. This is a real gem of the garden. It is good in single plantings, goes well with other crops in mixborders, rose gardens and flower gardens. The unpretentious rose has excellent health and good frost resistance. But it should be borne in mind that the plant is more suitable for dry and warm climates. In cooler regions, care is somewhat complicated by the need for more frequent preventive treatments, and in winter Frederic Mistral will not do without shelter.