COPPER LIGHTS™ – copper-red hybrid tea rose – SIMligh
Premium own-root COPPER LIGHTS™ provides a stable, high-value base for nursery propagation and premium container production where flower quality and exhibition-grade bud form are central. As a bush-trained, 3–5-cane framework plant, it slots efficiently into UK propagation beds and 5–7 L pre-finished containers, supporting exclusive, copper-red hybrid tea offerings to retail and reseller ranges. Its erect, vigorous habit with dense, glossy, dark foliage delivers a visually tidy crop in tunnels or outdoor beds, aligning with integrator and networked nursery systems that require uniformity and predictable scheduling. Own-root propagation supports renewable, long-term stands, lowering replacement and underpinning cultivar collections or thematic rose gardens where identity and continuity matter, including schemes exposed to strong winter winds in northern regions. The remontant, repeat-flowering performance with large, high-centred blooms and soft, rose-like fragrance strengthens its positioning as an exclusive, flower-led finished product. Moderate disease resistance and medium maintenance needs fit well with professional programmes using timed pest and disease controls. As with most own-root hybrid teas, you can plan for a development arc of roots in year one, structural shoots in year two and full ornamental expression from year three onward in your sales offer.
Usage options
Finished-product ideas
- Premium 5–7 L hybrid tea line – Own-root, bush-trained plants finished in 5–7 L pots on the recommended premium container path, highlighting exhibition flower form and colour for upscale retail/reseller assortments – specialist garden centres.
- Collection garden signature rose – Curated batches for thematic or collection beds, using the stable own-root base and distinctive copper-red palette to anchor exclusive display concepts – show gardens and public collections.
- Exhibition-focused hybrid tea series – Uniform, erect plants trained from 3–5 framework canes, promoted for bud form and repeat flowering as an exhibition-grade hybrid tea range – rose specialists and mail-order retailers.
- Large patio feature container – Selected plants grown on into 40–50 L containers, using strong canes and dense foliage to create high-impact focal specimens under an exclusive premium label – design-led nurseries and landscapers.
- Own-root stock and maintenance blocks – Purpose-grown batches for nurseries to establish renewable, long-lived stock beds with predictable structure and cultivar identity – propagation nurseries and integrator networks.
Technical cultivar profile
| Parameter |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Registered as SIMligh, marketed as COPPER LIGHTS™ hybrid tea rose; part of the hybrid tea rose commercial group with exhibition and cut-flower potential; former names and ARS exhibition name not provided. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by Nola M. Simpson from ‘Copper N Bronze’ × ‘Spek’s Centennial’; breeding year 2002, registration 2008; introduced in the United Kingdom in 2016 via Style Roses and in New Zealand via Ford Roses. |
| Awards and recognition |
Recognised at the New Zealand International Rose Trial Ground with a Certificate of Merit in 2004, supporting its credentials for exhibition-quality hybrid tea flower performance in professional evaluation settings. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Erect bush reaching approximately 90–130 cm in height with a 50–75 cm spread; dense, glossy, dark reddish-purple foliage (RHS 187A); slightly thorny shoots; supplied bush-trained with 3–5 strong framework canes for structured growth. |
| Flower morphology |
Large, double, high-centred hybrid tea blooms with 26–39 petals, solitary on stems; pointed bud shape with cut-rose character; remontant, producing a generous second flowering phase after the main flush under suitable culture. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Deep copper-red with orange and rosy tones; ARS OB, RHS 30A outer, 30B inner; colour shifts from darker copper-orange to softer peach-orange edges before fading; medium colour retention with moderate fading over the bloom life. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Mild, soft, rose-like fragrance with an understated scent profile; double, 26–39 petalled blooms offer limited access to stamens, so pollinator appeal is restricted and the cultivar is not positioned as pollinator-friendly. |
| Hip characteristics |
Occasionally produces ellipsoid hips, approximately 10–14 mm in diameter; hips are orange-red, RHS 40A; hip set is incidental rather than a primary ornamental or production feature in standard nursery and container routes. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Moderate resistance to powdery mildew, black spot and rust; hardiness approximately −18 to −15 °C, corresponding to RHS H6, Swedish zone 2 and USDA 7a; specific heat and drought tolerance data are not provided. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Recommended as an exclusive finished product on a premium container path; target pot 5–7 L with bush-trained plants; medium maintenance, with occasional pest control advised; primary professional uses beyond this are not provided. |
COPPER LIGHTS™ SIMligh offers exhibition flower quality, distinctive copper-red colour and structured bush-trained growth on a predictable, long-lived own-root base; we invite you to discuss scheduling and capacity for your premium container programmes.
