Szent Erzsébet – lilac-pink park rose – Márk (pharmaROSA® NEONATAL rooted cutting)
Park shrub remontant colour fragrance hardiness height own-root Szent Erzsébet provides nursery and wholesale producers with a remontant, lilac‑pink park shrub rose on a stable own‑root base, suitable for standard container production in 2–3 L pots as bush‑trained, compact plants. With a tall, bushy habit to 200–300 cm and dense, glossy mid‑green foliage, it works reliably for park and specimen use or training on fences where a strong vertical element is required. The vivid pink‑lilac, double, cluster‑flowered cups repeat generously with a plentiful second flush and a clearly noticeable, softly sweet fragrance, delivering reliable garden performance for retail and reseller channels. Its good heat and drought tolerance is well suited to UK schemes where summers are increasingly warm and dry, and own‑root plants build up from roots in year one, framework in year two and full ornamental presence by year three, supporting longer‑term, low‑replacement park and collection plantings.
Usage options
Finished-product ideas
- 2–3 L park shrub line – Bush‑trained, compact 2–3 L shrubs highlighting remontant flowering and dense foliage, positioned as standard finished product for reliable garden performance – retail and garden‑centre benches.
- Large specimen gateway rose – Step‑up plants finished in 40–50 L containers, using height and bushy habit for entrances and terraces, leveraging own‑root longevity – landscape contractors and project wholesalers.
- Thematic heritage collection item – 2–3 L labelled shrubs emphasising the Saint Elizabeth name story and Rome Gold Medal, offered as part of curated park and heritage collections – specialised nurseries and collection gardens.
- Fence‑line shrub module – Standard container 2–3 L units selected for height potential and spread, marketed for training on fences and light structures with good heat tolerance – public‑realm and housing‑estate suppliers.
- Lilac‑pink colour block series – Uniform 2–3 L plants grouped by lilac‑pink tonality and cluster‑flowering impact, supporting colour‑driven merchandising and landscaper palettes – multipurpose wholesalers and cash‑and‑carry.
Technical cultivar profile
| Parameter |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Szent Erzsébet, park shrub rose; American Rose Society exhibition name Szent Erzsébet emléke; registered as a state‑approved variety in 1995 for professional and public planting use. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred in Hungary in 1988 by Márk Gergely at the Horticultural Research Institute (Budatétény), from the cross ‘Queen Elizabeth’ × ‘Excelsa’, introduced after 1995 via PharmaRosa® Ltd. |
| Awards and recognition |
Recognised with a Gold Medal in Rome in 2000, supporting its use in thematic collections, park plantings and quality‑focused assortments aiming for proven ornamental performance. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Shrub‑type park rose with bushy habit, 200–300 cm height and 150–250 cm spread, moderately thorny shoots and dense, glossy, mid‑green foliage forming substantial vertical and lateral structure. |
| Flower morphology |
Double, cup‑shaped blooms with 26–39 petals, L‑size (approx. 2.75–3.95 in), produced in clusters; remontant with a plentiful second flowering, providing extended ornamental coverage. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Lilac‑pink overall effect; newly opened flowers vivid purplish‑pink with darker edges, softening to pale mauve‑pink with silvery tones; ARS code PB, RHS 68A outer and 68C inner zones. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Medium‑strength, softly sweet fragrance clearly noticeable at flowering, adding value in pathways, seating areas and specimen plantings without being overpowering in massed schemes. |
| Hip characteristics |
Hip set is limited by the double bloom form; where present, hips are spherical, approximately 10–14 mm in diameter, orange‑red and mainly of visual rather than production significance. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Rated H7 with hardiness around −26 to −23 °C, Swedish Zone 4 and USDA 5b; disease resistance medium for powdery mildew, black spot and rust, and tolerates heat and drier conditions well. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Primary uses are parks, specimen shrubs and training on fences; maintenance requirements medium, with occasional plant protection; supplied bush‑trained for standard container production in 2–3 L pots. |
Szent Erzsébet combines tall, bushy park‑shrub structure, remontant lilac‑pink flowering and good heat tolerance on a predictable own‑root base, making it a reliable candidate for long‑term programmes where we can align capacity and scheduling together.
