Caprice de Meilland ® Perfumella® – MEIsionver – pharmaROSA® NEONATAL
As a pharmaROSA® NEONATAL own-root cutting, Caprice de Meilland offers a premium entry point for professional production where exhibition-grade flower quality and reliable repeat-flowering support an exclusive finished line. Bush-trained plants with 3–5 canes develop an upright, bushy framework that fits premium 5–7 L container programmes and can be scaled into larger 40–50 litre feature specimens for thematic rose collections. Its high-centred, cut-rose flower form, XL solitary blooms and very strong fragrance clearly position it as an exclusive hybrid tea for retail and reseller channels demanding high-value, florist-style colour. Own-root production underpins long-term stability in border and container stock, with predictable regrowth and low replacement demand, while moderate maintenance needs remain manageable within UK nursery workflows that must cope with winter-hardy, wind-tolerant crops across Scotland and northern England under changing seasonal pressure. Over a natural development arc from roots in year one, framework in year two and full ornamental performance by year three, this cultivar provides a dependable, sustainable platform for premium, flower-led offers to specialist rose customers and collection-led projects, aligning well with a broad own-root portfolio strategy.
Usage options
Finished-product ideas
- Premium 5 L deep-pink hybrid tea – Bush-trained, own-root plants finished in 5 L pots, highlighting XL, high-centred blooms and intense fragrance for premium bench presentation – specialist retail / reseller.
- 7 L fragrance award selection – 7 L containers grouped as a fragrance-led collection built around Caprice de Meilland’s perfume awards and repeat flowering – garden centres and destination nurseries.
- 40 L exhibition border feature – Large 40–50 litre feature specimens for show and thematic rose gardens, using own-root stability and dense foliage to anchor high-profile displays – project-based wholesale.
- Cut-rose style patio line – Compact, upright bushes in 5–7 L containers marketed for patio and small-garden use, with florist-style flowers and strong scent as key drivers – premium retail platforms.
- Deep-pink colour collection trio – Inclusion of Caprice de Meilland in a three-cultivar deep-pink set, leveraging its colour stability and repeat flowering in synchronised 5 L production – curated reseller assortments.
Technical cultivar profile
| Parameter |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Hybrid tea rose, registered as MEIsionver, traded as Caprice de Meilland ® Perfumella® MEIsionver; ARS exhibition name Caprice de Meilland; meaning refers to Meilland’s “caprice” or playful whim. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by Alain Antoine Meilland, Meilland International, France, 1997; parentage (“Tino Rossi” × “Rendez-Vous”) × “Sonia”; introduced and initially distributed by Meilland International in the same year. |
| Awards and recognition |
Highly decorated for fragrance: Bagatelle Coupe du Parfum 1997, Nantes Prix du Parfum 1997, Le Roeulx Prix du Parfum and Certificate 1997, Rome Gold Medal and Prix du Parfum 1997, Hamilton Rose of the Year 200 (incomplete data). |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Bushy, upright shrub reaching 85–115 cm high and 40–60 cm spread, with dense, slightly glossy mid‑green foliage and moderate thorniness; poor self-cleaning, so spent blooms generally require manual removal in production. |
| Flower morphology |
Hybrid tea type with solitary, XL blooms on high-centred, pointed buds; double flowers with 26–39 petals, giving a classic exhibition and cut-flower profile combined with good repeat-flowering and a strong second flush. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Deep-rose-pink flowers, ARS DP; RHS 55B outer and 55A inner; buds dark reddish-pink, opening to vivid, warm deep pink with glossy sheen, paler edges and only moderate fading, retaining a pink tone through senescence. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Very strong, garden-filling perfume with fruity, rosy notes; double flowers partially cover stamens, limiting pollinator friendliness, so the cultivar is primarily valued for ornamental and fragrance qualities rather than ecological services. |
| Hip characteristics |
Occasionally sets small spherical red hips, around 8–12 mm diameter, which can appear sporadically after flowering; hips are not a major ornamental feature and usually secondary to the display of repeat blooms. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Medium disease resistance to powdery mildew, black spot and rust; moderate heat and drought tolerance, needing irrigation in prolonged dryness; hardy to approximately −21 to −18 °C (USDA 6b, Swedish zone 3, RHS H7 rating). |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Suitable for borders, specimens, cut-flower style use and containers; medium maintenance with occasional pest and disease control; best as bush-trained plants with 3–5 framework canes and a premium container production route. |
Caprice de Meilland ® Perfumella® offers XL exhibition blooms, intense fragrance and reliable repeat-flowering on a long-lived own-root base, making it a strong candidate for premium UK container lines where predictable capacity matters; we invite you to discuss volumes and timing.
