Don Juan – dark-red climbing rose – pharmaROSA® NEONATAL propagation material
Vertical planting schemes and collection-driven projects benefit from Don Juan as a stable own-root base for trained climber production, combining fragrance, repeat flowering, and exclusive, space-defining impact with a reliable, H7-rated winter hardiness profile that supports nationwide UK nursery scheduling. Its good heat and drought tolerance allows flexible positioning in pergola, arbour, wall, or fence programmes where long-lived framework plants are needed, while low–medium maintenance needs and generally resistant disease profile help reduce follow-up intervention in high-volume production. As tray-rooted pharmaROSA® NEONATAL material, it offers predictable own-root regeneration and long lifespan, aligning well with trained-climber finished routes in 5–7 L pots, and can underpin vertical-feature ranges for retail and reseller partners from Year 1 root establishment through Year 2 structural build to full ornamental value by Year 3 in thematic rose gardens and collection plantings with dependable stock.
Usage options
Finished-product ideas
- Retail-trained climber 5–7 L – Own-root NEONATAL plants trained to 3–5 canes in 5–7 L pots, emphasising vertical coverage and repeat flowering as an exclusive, dark-red space-defining climber – retail/reseller bench programmes.
- Pergola pair feature set – Matched pairs of uniform, staked climbers for pergola or arbour entrances, leveraging height, fragrance, and good hardiness for reliable performance – independent garden centres and landscape retailers.
- Wall-line project climber – Batch-produced trained climbers from NEONATAL trays for fence and wall runs, focusing on low–medium maintenance needs and robust own-root regeneration – public-realm and housing-association supply chains.
- Thematic collection climber slot – Don Juan positioned as the dark-red, strongly scented climber within colour or heritage rose collections, with predictable H7 hardiness and repeat flowering – show gardens and specialist rose collections.
- Duo-purpose feature & cutting rose – Trained climbers marketed for both vertical impact and home cutting use, capitalising on large, scented blooms and strong framework growth – premium, story-led assortments for high-service retailers.
Technical cultivar profile
| Parameter |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Climbing rose cultivar Don Juan (Hybrid Tea Cl, Large Flowered Climber), registered and traded as Don Juan Climbing rose Don Juan; ARS exhibition name Don Juan; masculine given-name meaning. |
| Origin and breeding |
Hybrid of ‘New Dawn’ × ‘New Yorker’, bred by Michele Malandrone in Italy and introduced in 1958 via Jackson & Perkins Co. (USA); unregistered variety in formal registration terms. |
| Awards and recognition |
not provided |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Climbing growth habit reaching approx. 2,4–3,8 m in height with 1,5–2,6 m spread; medium-density green foliage (RHS 139A) and densely thorned canes; medium self-cleaning, later deadheading advisable. |
| Flower morphology |
Large (2,75–3,95 in), very double, cup-shaped blooms with 40+ petals, borne in clusters; repeats well with a notable second flowering, supporting extended decorative and potential cutting-period windows. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Deep, velvety dark-red flowers (ARS dr; RHS 187A outer, 53B inner) with good colour retention; buds dark burgundy, darkening further before fade; overall colour long-lasting, only slightly fading in strong sun. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Strongly scented climber with a rich, tea-fruity fragrance, easily noticeable; highly double form conceals stamens, so primarily ornamental rather than pollinator-focused despite fragrance intensity. |
| Hip characteristics |
Rose hips form sparsely and occasionally; spherical red hips (RHS 43A) with 12–18 mm diameter, generally of minor ornamental importance in comparison with the cultivar’s floral and vertical traits. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Good general disease resistance: resistant to powdery mildew and rust, moderate to black spot; frost hardy to approx. –21 to –18 °C (USDA 6b, RHS H7, Swedish zone 3), tolerates heat with irrigation support. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Recommended as a trained climber for pergolas, arbours, fences, walls and specimen use; low–medium maintenance, occasional black-spot protection; NEONATAL own-root material suited to staked, trained 3–5 cane plants in 5–7 L pots. |
Don Juan offers strong vertical growth, repeat flowering and notable fragrance on predictable own-root stock, supporting long-lived, stable climber stands; please contact us to coordinate volumes, lead times and integration into your rose programmes.