CHARLES DE GAULLE® – purple hybrid tea rose – pharmaROSA® NEONATAL rooted cutting
Perfumed own-root material of CHARLES DE GAULLE® gives professional growers access to a premium hybrid tea cut-flower and exhibition garden rose, combining a very strong verbena-citrus fragrance with high-centred, pointed buds for retail-ready exclusive finishes in the 5–7 L premium-container segment. Bush-trained on 3–5 framework canes, these tray-rooted cuttings are optimised for onward production where flower quality and form justify higher-input programmes and disciplined pest and disease control. The upright, bushy, almost thornless growth habit with dense mid-green foliage suits integrated nursery workflows, while own-root longevity underpins reliable supply for thematic rose collections, show gardens and cut-rose display beds, even under conditions of moderate winter and wind exposure in northern UK regions. Over a natural development arc from root establishment in year one, framework and shoot build-up in year two, and full ornamental and fragrance expression in year three, you can structure predictable capacity and homogeneous batches for nursery, wholesale and collection programmes.
Usage options
Finished-product ideas
- Fragrance Collection 5–7 L – curated premium-container assortment built around CHARLES DE GAULLE® and similar highly scented hybrid teas, produced from bush-trained NEONATAL stock for consistent height and bud stage – target: premium retail and garden centres.
- Exhibition Hybrid Tea Line – series of 5–7 L pots selected for pointed, high-centred blooms and cutting quality, grown with defined spray programmes from uniform own-root material – target: show growers and specialist rose exhibitors via reseller networks.
- Collector’s Meilland Selection – limited annual batch highlighting historic Meilland genetics and verified authenticity, supplied in branded premium containers for connoisseur customers – target: specialist nurseries and online heritage-rose retailers.
- Perfumed Feature Specimens – solitary plants finished in 7 L and larger (up to 40–50 L) patio or display containers, structured on 3–5 strong canes for immediate visual and fragrance impact – target: landscape contractors and show-garden designers.
- Cut-and-Display Bed Starters – NEONATAL-derived liners grown on into robust 5 L plants for quick establishment of on-site cutting and display beds, optimised for stem quality and uniform bush habit – target: nurseries supplying florists, farm shops and display gardens.
Technical cultivar profile
| Parameter |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Hybrid tea rose, registered as MEIlanein (1976), traded as Charles de Gaulle® PERFUMELLA® MEIlanein; ARS exhibition name Charles de Gaulle; part of the PERFUMELLA® collection. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by Marie-Louise Meilland, Meilland International, France, from complex hybrid tea parentage including ‘Sissi’, ‘Prélude’, ‘Sondermeldung’ and ‘Caprice’; breeding completed in 1974, introduced after 1976. |
| Awards and recognition |
Multiple international fragrance and certificate awards in 1974 (Monza, Rome, Madrid, Geneva) and 1978 (Belfast), including Coupe du Parfum, Prix du Parfum and Couronne de la Reine Théodolinde. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Upright, bushy habit 80–110 cm high and 50–70 cm spread, dense mid-green, slightly glossy foliage, almost thornless shoots; spent flowers persist and require manual cleaning for best presentation. |
| Flower morphology |
Double, 26–39-petal hybrid tea blooms, medium-sized solitary flowers with high-centred, pointed buds of cut-rose character; remontant with abundant second flush when grown under suitable conditions. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Cool lavender-lilac with silvery tint, ARS M; RHS 75C outer, 76D inner; buds deep crimson-purple, opening to lilac-mauve with silvery centre, fading towards pastel lavender-grey, especially under heat and intense sun. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Very strong, garden-filling scent with a sweet, citrusy verbena character; double flowers with 26–39 petals limit pollinator access, making this primarily an ornamental and cut-flower cultivar rather than a pollinator resource. |
| Hip characteristics |
Hip set generally sparse due to double flowers; when present, produces small ovoid hips 11–15 mm in diameter, orange-red RHS 40A, with little impact on overall ornamental or production use. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Hardy to approximately –15 to –12 °C (RHS H6, Swedish zone 2, USDA 7b); moderate heat and drought tolerance; moderate susceptibility to powdery mildew and black spot, very sensitive to rust, requiring regular protection. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Suited to flower beds, cut-flower and solitary use; high maintenance with planned pest and disease control; best as premium container crop in 5–7 L and larger pots, from bush-trained own-root stock with 3–5 strong canes. |
CHARLES DE GAULLE® MEIlanein, supplied as own-root pharmaROSA® NEONATAL material, combines award-winning fragrance, exhibition-quality blooms and long-lived, regenerating stands, making it a sound option to discuss for planned premium-capacity programmes.
