ANDRE LE NOTRE ® – Hybrid Tea rose propagation material (pharmaROSA® NEONATAL)
Fragrance and flower quality make ANDRE LE NOTRE ® a compelling option where high-end hybrid tea presentation is decisive, particularly in premium 5–7 L container production aimed at exclusive retail and reseller channels. Its Romantica character, with very double, cupped XL blooms in refined pastel pink shades, is supported by an upright, bush-trained framework of 3–5 strong canes that suits disciplined, high-spec nursery training. As own-root pharmaROSA® NEONATAL material, it offers long-term regeneration, predictable stand renewal and stable performance under repeated cutting and grooming, with Year 1 root establishment, Year 2 structural shoot formation and Year 3 full ornamental value consolidating stock planning. Strong branding potential is underpinned by a premium gold cultivar rating and a well-known Meilland background, giving nurseries a clearly differentiated, collection-grade option for thematic rose gardens and curated ranges. Where maintenance and plant protection protocols are already in place, its exhibition-grade blooms can be leveraged for specialist cut flower and specimen pieces, adding value in lines that reward labour-intensive crop care. The pronounced, strong scent and award-winning fragrance history support positioning in sensory and boutique assortments, while own-root longevity reduces replacement over time in collection beds. This aligns well with UK growers servicing demanding public-realm and show projects that need reliable, high-impact cultivars for exposure to cool, wind-prone northern sites, where winter and wind tolerance support dependable scheduling and stock cycles aligned with professional production.
Usage options
Finished-product ideas
- Romantica® Premium Scented Bush 5–7 L – Own-root, bush-trained plants in 5–7 L premium containers showcasing XL, pastel pink, strongly scented blooms; ideal as an exclusive finished product for fragrance-led retail/reseller ranges – retail garden centres and upscale resellers.
- Exhibition-Grade Hybrid Tea Feature Pot – Upright, 3–5 cane bushes in 7 L pots selected for solitary, high-form flowers and show-standard presentation, grown from uniform NEONATAL stock for consistent benches – specialist rose exhibitors and hobbyist-focused retailers.
- Thematic Scent Collection Trio – Curated three-cultivar assortment including ANDRE LE NOTRE ® as the pastel, strong-fragrance component, supplied in harmonised 5 L containers to anchor sensory or Romantica®-branded concepts – nurseries building private-label or collection programmes.
- Display Border Specimen Line – Structured own-root bushes in 5–7 L pots prepared for quick establishment into high-visibility borders and show gardens, optimised for projects where intensive maintenance is already budgeted – landscape contractors and public-realm project suppliers.
- Collection & Gene-Bank Reference Stock – Verified-authentic, own-root plants produced from pharmaROSA® NEONATAL material for long-term cultivar maintenance and study plots, grown on in containers for controlled establishment before field planting – botanical collections and specialist nurseries.
Technical cultivar profile
| Parameter |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Hybrid Tea group rose; registered as MEIceppus, marketed as Andre Le Notre ® Romantica® MEIceppus, with ARS exhibition name Betty White™ for cut flower and exhibition hybrid tea use. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by Alain Meilland (Meilland International) in France from Pink Panther × Charleston ’88 × Yakimour; introduced and registered in 2001, with French breeding completed in 2000 via Meilland Richardier. |
| Awards and recognition |
Gold medals in Rome and Kortrijk/Courtrai (2000), multiple Monza distinctions including La plus parfumée and Queen Teodolinda crown, Geneva fragrance award, Madrid certificate, and Monza People’s choice recognition. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Upright bush, 100–140 cm high with 65–95 cm spread; moderately thorny, with moderately dense, glossy dark green foliage; weak self-cleaning so spent blooms persist and need manual removal in production. |
| Flower morphology |
Very double, XL-sized solitary blooms with 40+ petals; cupped form with a pronounced medium-centred rise; remontant with a plentiful second flush, providing repeated high-specification flowers for premium uses. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Soft warm pastel pink with subtle peach at petal base (RHS 36C–36D); outer petals paler; colour lightens markedly as blooms open, becoming very pale, almost ivory pink before petal drop; colour retention is characteristically weak. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Strong, well-scented rose with a sweet, fruity character; very double flowers conceal stamens, prioritising ornamental and sensory value rather than pollinator utility, well suited to fragrance-focused premium and exhibition applications. |
| Hip characteristics |
Hip set is generally low due to very double flowers; when produced, hips are small, red, spherical, around 10–14 mm in diameter, offering only occasional additional ornamental interest in production plantings. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Hardy to approximately –21 to –18 °C (RHS H7, Swedish zone 3, USDA 6b); tolerates heat reasonably but needs irrigation in extended drought; disease sensitivity moderate to powdery mildew and black spot, very susceptible to rust. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best used as a border, park, specimen or cut flower rose in premium container production; maintenance requirements are high, with regular plant protection and manual deadheading recommended due to poor disease resistance and weak self-cleaning. |
ANDRE LE NOTRE ® offers award-backed flower quality and strong fragrance on long-lived, regenerating own-root bushes, giving predictable premium output for growers ready to manage its care needs; please contact us to align on volumes and timing.
