STAINLESS STEEL® – lavender hybrid tea rose – pharmaROSA® NEONATAL
With its cool, silvery-lilac blooms and strong, fresh fragrance, STAINLESS STEEL® offers a distinctive premium option for nursery propagation beds and container production where quality flower form and colour differentiation drive value. Bush-trained with 3–5 solid framework canes, these pharmaROSA® NEONATAL own-root cuttings arrive as uniform, 3–6‑month plants ready for reliable production scheduling and predictable upscale retail programmes. Upright growth to 150–190 cm with dense, dark green foliage supports an exclusive finished look in 5–7 L pots and larger, suitable for long-term stock or show-garden collections. Remontant flowering with particularly abundant second flush ensures sustained display in thematic rose gardens and cut-flower borders, while resistant foliage reduces routine interventions and supports stable, low-replacement stands. Own-root structure underpins professional longevity and regeneration, typically focusing on roots in year one, framework and flowering build-up in year two, and full ornamental performance from year three, aligning well with UK nursery planning where reliable performance in colder, exposed northern districts is often required.
Usage options
Finished-product ideas
- 5–7 L Premium Lavender Hybrid Tea – Own-root, bush-trained plants in 5–7 L pots emphasising colour exclusivity and classic flower form; remontant second flush supports extended bench appeal – target audience/channel: retail / reseller premium ranges
- Fragrance Feature Container Rose – Strongly scented citrus-rose blooms in upright, specimen-capable plants presented in 7 L premium containers, positioned as a fragrance anchor SKU – target audience/channel: garden centres and specialist rose retailers
- Collector and Show-Garden Line – Curated batches from stable own-root stock for thematic lavender and novelty-colour collections, with high-centred hybrid tea blooms and resistant foliage – target audience/channel: show-garden organisers and collection-focused nurseries
- Large 40–50 L Specimen Rose – Multi-year grown-on own-root plants trained from 3–5 cane NEONATAL material into tall, upright focal specimens for patios and entrances – target audience/channel: landscapers and project-based wholesalers
- Border and Cut-Flower Dual-Purpose Bush – Premium container-grown bushes optimised for both border placement and stem cutting, using remontant flowering and strong flower form as the key selling points – target audience/channel: retail / reseller concepts serving keen gardeners and hobby exhibitors
Technical cultivar profile
| Parameter |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Hybrid tea rose group; registered as WEKblusi, marketed as Stainless Steel® hybrid tea rose WEKblusi, ARS exhibition name Stainless Steel; meaning references its silvery-lilac flower colour. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by Tom Carruth (United States, 1991) from ‘Blue Nile’ × ‘Silverado’; introduced and initially distributed by Weeks Wholesale Rose Grower, Inc. in 1995, registration year 1993. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Upright habit, 150–190 cm height with 100–140 cm spread; dense, slightly glossy dark green foliage (RHS 139A), moderately thorny; weak self-cleaning so spent blooms usually require manual removal. |
| Flower morphology |
Large double flowers (26–39 petals), high-centred, pointed-budded hybrid tea type, mainly solitary on stems; remontant with especially abundant second flowering, suitable for border and cut-flower use. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Cool, pale silver-lilac with metallic sheen; ARS code M, RHS 76C–76D; clear lavender when newly opened, silvery edges, deepening inside; very good colour retention, slight lightening in heat and sun. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Strong, clearly detectable fragrance with fresh, citrusy rose character; primarily ornamental and not indicated for soap or cosmetic processing; double flowers provide limited pollinator access. |
| Hip characteristics |
Rose-hip formation is generally limited due to double flowers; when present, hips are small ellipsoid orange-red (RHS 40A), around 10–14 mm in diameter, with minimal ornamental impact. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Rated resistant to powdery mildew, black spot and rust; hardiness approximately −21 to −18 °C, RHS H7, Swedish zone 3, USDA 6b; moderate heat and drought tolerance, benefits from regular watering. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best used as border, cut flower or specimen rose; premium container route recommended, especially 5–7 L; bush-trained form with 3–5 strong framework canes; low maintenance under normal regimes. |
STAINLESS STEEL® combines exclusive silvery-lilac hybrid tea blooms, strong fragrance and disease-resistant, upright growth on a predictable, long-lived own-root base that supports homogeneous, low-replacement stands; we would be pleased to discuss scheduling and capacity with you.
