DELCART – dark red tea hybrid rose – Delbard
Exclusive own-root DELCART offers a stable, premium propagation base for growers targeting high-value, dark red hybrid tea production, where colour retention and flower quality are central to the finished product. Bush-trained NEONATAL cuttings with 3–5 framework canes establish quickly into upright, densely foliated plants, ideal for 5–7 L containers and later transfer to 40–50 litre or larger presentation pots for specimen or collection use. As a remontant cut-flower type hybrid tea, it supports reliable, repeatable cropping, while own-root longevity provides predictable regeneration and low replacement in nursery beds and wholesale stock. Over UK cycles it develops roots in year one, structural shoots in year two and full ornamental value from year three, supporting capacity planning for thematic rose gardens and cultivar collections where consistent dark, velvety blooms are required, even under challenging, wind-exposed northern and coastal conditions.
Usage options
Finished-product ideas
- Premium 5–7 L “Les Grands Parfums” line – Own-root DELCART in 5–7 L containers, emphasising remontant flowering and strong fragrance for an exclusive hybrid tea segment – target audience/channel: retail / reseller.
- 40–50 L dark red specimen series – Large-container specimens using the upright, bushy habit and dense foliage to create long-term display plants with stable own-root structure – target audience/channel: public-realm and institutional suppliers.
- Exhibition bud and cut-stem starter plants – Bush-trained NEONATAL stock in premium pots, selected for high-centred buds and large flower size for cut-stem and show use – target audience/channel: specialist exhibitors and niche retailers.
- Thematic “Velvet Red Collection” – Coordinated range built around DELCART’s very good colour retention and deep burgundy-red tones, supplied as uniform own-root containers – target audience/channel: nursery networks and integrators.
- Fragrance-focused collector’s edition – Limited batches highlighting the cultivar’s strong, long-lasting scent and Delbard heritage, finished in premium 5–7 L containers – target audience/channel: retail / reseller.
Technical cultivar profile
| Parameter |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Hybrid tea rose, registered as DELcart and marketed as Delcart Les Grands Parfums DELcart, with American Rose Society exhibition name Le Rouge et le Noir referencing Stendhal’s novel. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by Georges Delbard in France, breeding year 1973, introduced 1974 by Georges Delbard SA; parentage is unknown but aligned with classic cut-flower hybrid tea selection. |
| Awards and recognition |
Lauréate des Roses Parfumées, Lyon fragrance award in 1974, confirming its recognised scent value within specialist rose evaluation and adding weight for fragrance-led product ranges. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Bushy, upright plants 75–105 cm in height and spread, with dense, glossy dark green foliage and moderate prickliness; NEONATAL form supplied bush-trained with 3–5 strong framework canes. |
| Flower morphology |
Semi-double, large high-centred blooms with 17–25 petals, solitary on stems and shaped as pointed cut-flower type buds, with remontant flowering and an abundant second flush noted. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Deep dark-red ARS code DR, RHS 187A outer and 187B inner, opening ruby-red with near-black veil and retaining a uniform dark burgundy-red, velvety tone with minimal fading even in strong sunlight. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Strong, long-lasting fragrance classed as a scented rose; detailed scent character description is not provided but performance underlined by historic fragrance award recognition in Lyon trials. |
| Hip characteristics |
Rose-hip formation is generally limited due to double flowers and regular pruning; when present, produces small spherical red hips 8–12 mm in diameter, not normally a commercial feature. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Hardy to approximately −21 to −18 °C, rated RHS H7, Swedish zone 3, USDA 6b; medium resistance to powdery mildew, black spot and rust, with colour holding well in heat but needing irrigation in drought. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Recommended for flower beds, borders, containers, specimens, hedges and cut flowers; medium maintenance with occasional plant protection, best as premium container stock on an own-root NEONATAL base. |
DELCART combines strong, durable colour, recognised fragrance performance and an upright, container-suited habit on a predictable own-root base, making it a rational choice for premium hybrid tea production where we can plan volumes and timings together.
