The Portland Roses

Author: Mark Whitelaw
Published on: Jun 18, 1999

Portland roses are a mysterious lot. Although they have been around for at least 250 years, not much is known about their heritage and breeding. Interestingly, all this mystery also produces a lot of debate.

If the truth be known, most authors can't even decide whether to list them as a separate class or lump them into other, more well known rose classes. Some authors consider them Damasks; others, Damask Perpetuals; still others consider them Gallicas; and some even list them with the Hybrid Perpetuals, although these didn't arrive on the scene until early in the nineteenth century - some 75 years after the first known Portland. The debate continues among those rosarians who care about such things, but the International Registration Authority for Roses now lists them as a separate class.

The progenitor of the Portlands is most probably (and appropriately) Rosa x. portlandica or 'Portland Rose' and so named for the English second duchess of Portland, one of the first people to grow it. Although its parentage is unknown, it is believed to be a cross between the once-blooming Rosa gallica and the repeat-blooming 'Autumn Damask' ('Quatre Saisons').

Even this statement can cause a debate. Some authors suggest the parents are a 1790 Italian cross between 'Slater's Crimson China' and 'Autumn Damask' [Beales]. I find this latter suggested heritage questionable because 'Slater's Crimson China was not discovered in China until 1795, and knowledge of 'Portland Rose' dates at least to 1775 [Phillips & Rix].

Still other authors like to "play all the corners" by suggesting it was a cross between 'Autumn Damask', 'Slater's Crimson China' and an "involvement" with R. centifolia [Moody & Harkness].

All this confusion stems from the lack of cross breeding documentation, a characteristic of the rather non-scientific methods used during the eighteenth century when roses were permitted to cross simply by planting them close together, collecting the seeds, and growing whatever developed.

At any rate, the rose now called 'Portland Rose' became the progenitor of its class - crossed with several other roses including the Hybrid Perpetuals, the most popular of which was 'Baronne Prévost' and the parents of 'Comte de Chambord'. Its semi-double, fragrant blooms are born on short stems from a plant that grows about 3 ft. (60 cm) tall and wide.

When the Portlands became popular during the middle of the nineteenth century, Robert of France became one of the most prolific breeders of the class. Besides 'Comte de Chambord' mentioned above, his lesser known roses include 'Casimir Delavigne', 'Céline Bourdier', 'Desdemona' (one of his first), 'Jacques Cartier', 'Marbrée', 'Henriette Boulogne', 'Jules Lesourd', 'Robert Perpetual' and 'Marie Robert' - all introduced between the 1840's and 1860's.

Unfortunately, except for 'Comte de Chambord', many of these roses are no longer available through commercial rose nurseries. Rather, you will have to rely on those who currently grow them to obtain your own specimen.

More popular (and, hence, more available Portlands) include 'Rose de Rescht', of unknown heritage but displaying typical Gallica foliage and Damask-like bloom stems. The rather smallish fuchsia-red blooms are produced in clusters, but repeat well on "new wood" in southern gardens. It is only slightly remontant in cooler growing conditions. Growing to 3 ft. (90 cm), old, woody canes should be hard pruned.

Another popular Portland is 'Rose du Roi', introduced by Lelieur of France in 1815. This rose seems to promote a debate whenever any two rosarians get together to argue about things only rosarians like to argue about. One such "debate" is lineage. The "reported" parents of this rose are 'Portland Rose' and R. gallica officinalis or 'The Apothecary Rose'. (No. I wouldn't want to start a debate right here.) This rose is also sometimes listed as a Hybrid Perpetual. (Again, let's not get into an argument about this.) The plant grows more upright and less "ball-like" than many of the... uh... Portlands - about 3 - 4 ft. (.9 - 1.2 m) tall and 2 ft. (60 cm) wide (hence, the argument about being a Hybrid Perpetual). Its bright red, very fragrant blooms repeat well in southern gardens. Furthermore, its near lack of prickles makes it easy to manage.

If you'd like to grow a rose worth starting an argument about, try a Portland. Because of their strong Gallica and Damask heritage, Portlands will do well in cooler growing climates although their bloom seasons may be shortened. Many should easily survive USDA Hardiness Zone 4 winters.