Centennial Star™ Romantica® – Hybrid Tea rose propagation material
Premium own-root Centennial Star™ is designed for professional container and flower-bed production where repeat-flowering colour performance and exhibition-grade blooms are central to the offer, supporting exclusive ranges for retail and reseller partners. Its bushy, clump-forming habit with dense, glossy dark foliage gives an elegant, high-impact hybrid tea profile in 5–7 L premium pots and bed lines, while the strong, long-lasting fragrance and warm yellow-pink palette align well with thematic and collection plantings. Own-root production offers a stable long-term base with predictable regrowth and stand renewal, evolving from root establishment in year one to framework shoots in year two and full ornamental value from year three, helping to maintain reliable quality across nursery networks. With hardiness to H7 and USDA 6b, it also supports northern and inland UK schemes where winter and wind resilience are expected, fitting into structured supply chains for institutional, public-realm and collector-oriented rose garden projects that prioritise distinctive flowers and consistent quality.
Usage options
Finished-product ideas
- Premium 5–7 L Romantica® feature rose – Bush-trained, own-root plants finished in 5–7 L pots with dense foliage, exhibition-form yellow-pink blooms and strong fragrance, positioned as an exclusive hybrid tea for high-end benches – retail/reseller garden-centre assortments.
- Collector and show-garden selection – Curated Centennial Star™ units grown from NEONATAL stock as identity-secure, own-root plants, aimed at thematic Romantica and exhibition collections where form and fragrance are key – specialist and mail-order rose collections.
- Fragrance-led patio specimen in 40–50 L – Upscaled, bush-trained specimens in 40–50 L containers highlighting scent, colour gradient and repeat flowering, suited to statement pieces in display areas – premium landscaper and design-focused retail channels.
- Bed and edging colour series – Uniform batches grown on from NEONATAL material into 5–7 L or project-specific modules for structured beds and edging, leveraging bushy habit and remontant flowering – public-realm, municipal and institutional projects.
- Cut-flower companion garden line – Hybrid tea plants finished as garden roses but marketed for home cutting, emphasising solitary, large blooms and strong scent from own-root stock – aspirational consumer via independent nurseries and specialist retailers.
Technical cultivar profile
| Parameter |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Hybrid tea rose, registered as MEInerau, traded as Centennial Star™ Romantica® MEInerau; ARS exhibition name Centennial Star; collection Romantica®; commercial hybrid tea group. |
| Origin and breeding |
Raised by Alain A. Meilland, Meilland International SA, France (breeding year 1996); parentage (‘Sunblest’ × ‘KORresia’) × ‘MEInarval’; introduced after 1997, US Plant Patent PP10 668. |
| Awards and recognition |
Recognised with a Gold Award from the Portland Rose Society, supporting its use in exhibition-oriented programmes and premium hybrid tea ranges where flower quality is central. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Bushy, clump-forming habit to around 90–130 cm high and 70–95 cm spread; dense, glossy dark green foliage; moderately thorny shoots; supplied bush-trained with 3–5 strong framework canes. |
| Flower morphology |
Large, double flowers (L, 2.75–3.95 in) with 26–39 petals, solitary on stems; cup-shaped form with pronounced medium-tall growth habit; remontant, with an abundant second flush under suitable management. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Rich golden-yellow base with pinkish edging; ARS yb, RHS 14B outer, 12B inner; colour shifts to light yellow with salmon to peach-pink rim as blooms mature; moderate colour retention under garden conditions. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Strong, long-lasting scent with a sweetly spicy character; primarily ornamental, with double blooms offering only moderate pollinator access and thus limited value for pollinator-optimised plantings. |
| Hip characteristics |
Occasional ellipsoidal orange-red hips, approximately 8–12 mm diameter; hips are incidental rather than a primary feature and typically secondary to the main flower and fragrance display. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Medium disease resistance, including medium susceptibility to powdery mildew, black spot and rust; hardy to approximately -21 – -18 °C (RHS H7, Swedish zone 3, USDA 6b); moderate heat and drought tolerance. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Suited to flower beds, edging, containers, cut-flower and specimen use; medium maintenance with periodic pest and disease control; recommended as premium container product in 5–7 L, from NEONATAL rooted cuttings. |
Centennial Star™ MEInerau offers exhibition-form, fragrant blooms and a bushy, premium container habit on a durable own-root base that supports predictable, renewable stands; please contact us to align volumes, timings and integration into your production plans.
