ROBE À LA FRANÇAISE – pharmaROSA® NEONATAL rooted cutting
As a pharmaROSA® NEONATAL own-root starting point, Robe à la française offers a bushy and reliably structured shrub habit that is straightforward to channel into premium 5–7 L container production and bush-trained, 3–5‑cane release forms for retail and reseller partners. Its very double, nostalgic blooms in clustered, large heads provide high perceived value on benches and in exclusive finished product lines for thematic and collection plantings. The dense, dark foliage with a glossy surface underpins a consistently ornamental canopy, while own-root architecture supports long-term renewal, low replacement rates and predictable capacity planning. With good heat tolerance suited to warmer and drier southern nursery sites, it integrates well into UK supply chains exposed to increasingly drought-prone summers. Medium self-cleaning and maintenance needs remain compatible with professional crop care routines, and remontant, abundant rebloom ensures repeat flowering windows for staged dispatch. Over a natural development arc of roots in year one, structural shoots in year two and full ornamental effect from year three, it builds durable, premium shrub lines for high-end Romantic rose ranges.
Usage options
Finished-product ideas
- Romantic 5–7 L feature shrub – Own-root, bush-trained plants with 3–5 canes in 5–7 L pots, positioned as exclusive Romantic roses with nostalgic double flowers – premium garden-centre and specialist retail.
- Pergola accent container – Taller, arching shrubs grown on in minimum 40–50 L containers for light pergola and fence training, highlighting heat-tolerant performance – landscape-oriented resellers and project nurseries.
- Collector’s Romantic selection – Curated batch of this Japanese-bred Romantic rose for thematic and show-garden collections, leveraging own-root longevity and cultivar stability – specialist mail-order and collector-focused partners.
- Cut-and-display shrub line – 5–7 L shrubs marketed for dual use: garden performance and occasional cutting, utilising remontant, large, cup-shaped blooms – independent garden centres with florist links.
- Public-realm Romantic focus block – Nursery-maintained own-root stock blocks supplying repeat-flowering shrubs for beds and borders in formal schemes, balancing medium maintenance with durable structure – municipal and institutional project suppliers.
Technical cultivar profile
| Parameter |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Robe à la française Romantic Rose Kawamoto; shrub / nostalgia rose within the Romantic rose commercial group; no registered cultivar name reported; authenticity verified for professional own-root propagation. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by Junko Kawamoto, Kawamoto Rose Garden, Japan; introduced 2011 with parentage unknown; supplied here as own-root propagation material derived from the original selection for professional production. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Bushy shrub, 150–225 cm high with 110–165 cm spread; loosely arching shoots can be trained on light supports; dense, glossy dark green foliage; moderately thorny wood requiring normal handling care. |
| Flower morphology |
Very double, cup-shaped, large flowers (2.75–3.95 in) with 40+ petals; clustered inflorescences; remontant with abundant second flowering, delivering extended decorative periods under professional management. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Delicate mauve-pink with lilac tint; buds mid to deep mauve-pink; rich pink newly opened flowers fade to powder pink with peach-cream centre; moderate colour retention with characteristic two-tone Romantic effect. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Delicately myrrh-scented with mild intensity; a subtle but refined fragrance profile that complements the nostalgic flower form without dominating mixed or public display plantings. |
| Hip characteristics |
Hip set generally sparse; where present, spherical orange-red hips about 10–15 mm diameter may occur, adding limited but decorative late-season interest on less heavily deadheaded specimens. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Hardy to approximately −21 to −18 °C (RHS H7, Swedish zone 3, USDA 6b); disease resistance moderate overall with good black spot resistance and moderate susceptibility to powdery mildew and rust. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Suited to pergolas, fences, solitary specimens, beds, cut use and containers; medium maintenance with occasional plant protection; recommended for premium container production, 5–7 L target pot and bush-trained 3–5 cane form. |
Robe à la française Romantic Rose Kawamoto offers remontant, nostalgic large blooms and a bushy, arching shrub habit on predictable, regenerative own-root stock; we would be pleased to discuss volumes, timing and integration into your premium ranges.
