OLYMPIAD™ – red hybrid tea rose – pharmaROSA® NEONATAL rooted cutting
Premium own-root OLYMPIAD™ provides a stable propagation base for nursery networks aiming at exclusive hybrid tea production, combining verified cultivar authenticity with resilient performance and low-intervention maintenance needs. Bush-trained NEONATAL material with 3–5 canes moves efficiently into a container route, where 5–7 L premium pots can be finished for retail and reseller channels with high, repeatable visual impact. The large, high-centred blooms and rich, persistent red colour underpin cut flower and exhibition applications, while good disease resistance and H7 hardiness support predictable output under UK nursery conditions and in demanding public-realm supply. Own-root structure allows a natural arc of Year 1 roots, Year 2 structural shoots and Year 3 full ornamental value for durable collection and park use. This aligns well with thematic rose garden plantings where long-lasting colour and form are prioritised, and with UK producers needing reliable crops under coastal and inland exposures across extended distribution routes.
Usage options
Finished-product ideas
- Premium 5–7 L exhibition hybrid tea – NEONATAL bush-trained plants finished in 5–7 L containers, emphasising XL, high-centred blooms and rich, persistent red colour with low maintenance demands – target: specialist retailers and exhibition-focused resellers.
- Collection-line Olympiad feature rose – curated cultivar for thematic and show gardens, supplied in uniform 5–7 L premium pots from own-root NEONATAL stock, highlighting verified authenticity and exhibition pedigree – target: nurseries serving collection and public-realm projects.
- Amenity bed and hedge module – upright, dense plants offered as a project-ready 5–7 L module for beds and low hedges, leveraging disease resistance and resilient performance to keep maintenance predictable – target: landscape contractors and municipal buyers.
- Heat-resilient retail colour block – strong red, sun-stable flowers in 5–7 L containers positioned for summer sales, drawing on good heat tolerance and repeat flowering for continuous bench impact – target: garden centres and multiple retailers.
- Season-extended feature with hips – finished 5–7 L pots marketed for dual interest from large red blooms followed by occasional decorative hips, underpinned by own-root longevity and low intervention needs – target: independent nurseries and premium retail ranges.
Technical cultivar profile
| Parameter |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Hybrid tea rose group; registered as MACauck, traded as Olympiad™ Hybrid tea rose MACauck, ARS exhibition name Olympiad; verified identity under pharmaROSA® NEONATAL production. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by Samuel Darragh McGredy IV, McGredy Roses International, New Zealand; parentage ‘Red Planet’ × ‘Pharaoh’; bred c.1972 and introduced 1974 in New Zealand, later 1983–1984 in the USA. |
| Awards and recognition |
Recognised with the All-America Rose Selections award in 1984 and the Portland Gold Medal in 1995, supporting its long-term acceptance as a high-quality hybrid tea cultivar. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Upright bush to 100–140 cm height and 65–95 cm spread, moderately thorny, with dense, mid-green, matt foliage; weak self-cleaning so spent blooms require removal in production and maintenance. |
| Flower morphology |
Solitary, XL double flowers with 26–39 petals, high-centred, pointed-budded hybrid tea form; repeats well with particularly abundant second flush, supporting extended ornamental and cutting periods. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Uniform rich red with velvety sheen; RHS 46A outer, 46B inner; colour remains deep and homogeneous with only slight matt fading towards carmine red even under strong sunlight, offering reliable display value. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Mild fruity rose fragrance, subtly scented; strongly double blooms restrict stamen access, so it is not considered pollinator-friendly and is primarily selected for visual and cut-flower quality. |
| Hip characteristics |
Occasionally forms small, spherical red hips 8–12 mm in diameter; hips are of modest but noticeable decorative value, adding some late-season interest where spent blooms are not removed. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Rated resistant to powdery mildew, black spot and rust; hardy to approximately −26 to −23 °C (H7, USDA 5b, Swedish zone 4), with good heat tolerance if watered during prolonged drought. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Suitable for beds, cut flower, specimen, hedge, container and park uses; low maintenance requirement; recommended as bush-trained with 3–5 canes, ideally finished as premium 5–7 L container product. |
OLYMPIAD™ offers large, colour-stable red blooms, resilient disease and climate performance, and long-lived own-root predictability, making it a dependable candidate for aligning capacity and scheduling in premium hybrid tea production; we invite further discussion.
