A Gallery of Gallicas

Gallicas are a fascinating group of antique roses because of their beautiful and unique colors.

Petite Orléanaise (unknown origin)

Gallica blooms come in some of the darkest deepest purple of all roses...,

Cardinal de Richelieu (Parmentier, 1847)

... often spotted...,

Alain Blanchard (Vibert, 1839)

... or striped...,

Cora (Savoureux, 1885)

...or marbled, earning these roses the name of "mad gallicas".

Belle Biblis (Descemet, before 1815)

Gallicas may be the oldest roses in cultivation, grown not only for their beauty but for medicinal properties ascribed to their petals and fruits.

Grande Renoncule (unknown origin)

If Alba Semi-Plena is believed to be the White Rose of York, then Rosa gallica officionalis is considered to be the Red Rose of Lancaster. Gallica roses originate in central and south-western Europe, and the species is still grown there.

Rosa Mundi (sport of r. gallica officionalis, unknown origin)

Like other old garden roses from Europe, gallicas bloom only once a year.

Duchesse de Montebello (Laffay, 1824)

But the show they put on is certainly worth seeing!

Beau Narcisse (Miellez, before 1824) with James Mason (Beales, 1982)

Gallicas are worthy of garden space not only for their historic value or "mad" colors. They form stocky and fairly short plants, which are pretty easy to fit into a garden.

Perle von Weissenstein (hybrid gallica, Schwarzkopf, 1773)

On their own roots gallicas tend to sucker and form thickets, making them good candidates for hedges.

Sterkmanns (unknown Belgian breeder, 1842) colonizing the surrounding space (the main bush is on the right, and the suckers are on the left, some already blooming)

Even though gallicas were most extensively hybridized in the early 19th century, they have not been entirely forgotten since. German hybridizer Wilhem Kordes created Scharlachglut (Scarlet Fire), a modern gallica hybrid, in 1952.

Scharlachglut (Kordes, 1952)

Peter Beales, a British hybridizer, used Scharlachglut to produce James Mason, another dramatic red gallica.

James Mason (Beales, 1982)

Paul Barden, an American rose breeder, has been creating gallica roses for many years.

Marianne (Barden, 2001). Image courtesy of Paul Barden

His gallicas come in some unusual colors, such as pale pink (Allegra). My favorite, Marianne, is a cross between Duchesse de Montebello and Abraham Darby, which resulted in the only apricot gallica I know of.























A mad gallica in full bloom is a sight not easily forgotten. These roses are very disease resistant and cold hardy. They are worth a try!

Alexandre Laquement (Laqument, before 1906)

All images, except Paul Barden's, were taken at the San Jose Heritage Rose Garden.