HONORÉ DE BALZAC® – pharmaROSA® NEONATAL own‑root propagation material
Premium own‑root HONORÉ DE BALZAC® offers exclusive flower quality for growers building higher‑value ranges, combining romantic hybrid tea form with reliable remontant rebloom and an upright, well‑structured framework suited to bush‑trained production. Dense, glossy foliage, medium maintenance needs and good heat tolerance support predictable premium‑container programmes, while own‑root stability allows Year 1 root establishment, Year 2 structural build‑up and Year 3 full ornamental value. Its ADR background underpins medium but manageable health for nursery systems targeting 5–7 L containers, and helps support projects where dependable winter performance in colder parts of the UK and similar climates is required, offering a practical base for professional wholesale and retail‑reseller supply.
Usage options
Finished-product ideas
- Premium 5–7 L Romantica® feature bush – Upright, bush-trained framework in 5–7 L pots showcasing large, very full bicolour blooms, built from own-root NEONATAL for long-term garden value – target: premium retail / reseller benches.
- Exhibition-style garden cut rose line – Container-grown in 5–7 L as a hybrid tea / Floribunda exhibition cultivar for home cutting, combining remontant flowering with high petal count and form – target: florist-linked garden ranges.
- Collection-grade specimen series – Curated HONORÉ DE BALZAC® specimens for thematic and show gardens, using uniform own-root plants with ADR background for stable long-term displays – target: project and public-realm suppliers.
- Heat-tolerant premium bed rose – Produced as a bush-trained premium container product to be transplanted into high-visibility beds where good heat tolerance and strong foliage are required – target: landscape-focused retail programmes.
- Nursery mother-block and gene-bank stock – Own-root NEONATAL plants established at wider spacing to secure long-term propagation material and cultivar maintenance with predictable identity – target: nurseries and integrator networks.
Technical cultivar profile
| Name and registration |
Hybrid tea / Floribunda type, commercial tea hybrid rose; registered as MEIparnin, marketed as Honoré de Balzac® Romantica® MEIparnin, ADR exhibition name Honoré de Balzac. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by Alain Meilland (France) from (Marion Foster × Ave Maria) × Lancôme; Meilland International with Conard-Pyle introduced it after 1998, registration year 1998, breeding year 1995. |
| Awards and recognition |
Recognised with a Silver Medal at Saverne trials (1992) and carries an ADR recommendation in Germany, underlining its performance potential in independent trial conditions. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Upright bush habit 85–115 cm high and 60–80 cm spread, dense glossy mid-green foliage RHS 146A, densely thorned shoots; spent blooms require manual deadheading due to poor self-cleaning. |
| Flower morphology |
Large L-class spherical to pompon blooms, 40+ petals, very full-flowered; cluster-flowering habit with remontant behaviour and an abundant second flush under suitable management and feeding. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Cream-white base with delicate carmine-pink edging; buds show stronger pink tips, opening to buttery cream-yellow centres; colour may fade in heat, while cooler conditions intensify the pink margins. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Mild, subtle-scented fragrance with a peachy character; highly double form encloses stamens so this is primarily an ornamental display rose rather than a pollinator-supportive cultivar. |
| Hip characteristics |
Rose hip set generally sparse due to very double flowers; where formed, hips are spherical, orange-red, about 10–14 mm diameter, offering limited but tidy late-season ornamental interest. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Medium resistance to powdery mildew, black spot and rust; hardy to around −23 to −21 °C (RHS H7, USDA 6a, Swedish zone 3); tolerates heat well but needs irrigation during prolonged droughts. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best used for flower beds, cut flower use and as a specimen; suits premium container production with bush-trained 3–5 cane framework, medium maintenance and occasional plant protection as needed. |
HONORÉ DE BALZAC® combines exclusive flower quality, robust upright structure and own-root longevity for predictable, homogeneous stands; please contact us to discuss capacity planning and scheduling for your programmes.
