TRAVIATA® – deep red hybrid tea rose – Meilland – pharmaROSA® NEONATAL
Professional own-root TRAVIATA® offers growers a reliable premium hybrid tea option for cut-quality flower form in containers, with dense, dark foliage, bushy upright framework and strong H7 winter hardiness supporting UK-wide production, including colder, wind-exposed districts in Scotland and northern England. Its very full, velvety deep-red blooms with exhibition-level form underpin exclusive finished-product positioning in the 5–7 L container segment, while low maintenance demand and good disease resistance make it a practical choice for nursery propagation beds, collection blocks and premium retail lines, following a natural development curve of root establishment in year one, framework building in year two and full ornamental value from year three.
Usage options
Finished-product ideas
- Premium 5–7 L hybrid tea feature rose – Bush-trained own-root plants in 5–7 L containers, highlighting the deep-red exhibition-form flowers and dense foliage as an exclusive finished product – retail garden centres and specialist rose stockists
- Cut-flower inspired patio collection – A curated line emphasising solitary, large hybrid tea blooms for cutting, with low-maintenance care messaging and consistent own-root performance – lifestyle retailers and concept-led assortments
- Romantica® themed display blocks – Grouped planting or multi-unit offers built from uniform, bushy specimens to create strong colour blocks in show gardens and retail benches – nurseries serving show gardens and display-focused resellers
- Park and institutional focal rose – Container-grown stock for later planting into beds where hardiness and disease resistance reduce replacement, supported by reliable own-root regrowth – public-realm contractors and municipal buyers via wholesalers
- Branded TRAVIATA® collector line – Authenticated, premium silver-rated plants positioned as named collector pieces with documented show references, leveraging long-term own-root stability – specialist mail-order and collector-focused retailers
Technical cultivar profile
| Parameter |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Hybrid tea rose MEIlavio marketed as TRAVIATA® Romantica®, with ARS exhibition name Traviata; name references Verdi’s “La Traviata”; registered 1999 under US Plant Patent PP 10,845. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred in France in 1997 by Alain A. Meilland for Meilland International SA from (Meirgano × Tanaloap) × Ausroyal; introduced commercially after 1999 by Meilland International SA. |
| Awards and recognition |
Awarded a silver medal at Monza, Italy in 1997 and a certificate at Rome, Italy in 1997, supporting its positioning as an exhibition-capable hybrid tea rose for discerning markets. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Bushy, upright shrub reaching about 95–125 cm in height and 110–150 cm spread, with dense, slightly glossy dark green foliage and moderate prickliness; spent blooms persist and require manual deadheading. |
| Flower morphology |
Large, very full, rosette-shaped hybrid tea blooms with more than 40 petals, borne mainly solitary; remontant flowering habit with a plentiful second flush, designed for strong visual and cut-flower effect. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Velvety deep-red colour, ARS code DR, RHS 53A outer and 53B inner; buds nearly black-red; colour holds reasonably, fading moderately in strong sun with crimson outer petals and a ruby-like central tone. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Fragrance is very weak, with only a light rosy character detectable; the heavily doubled flower form is primarily ornamental, with limited relevance for fragrance-driven assortments or sensory-focused plantings. |
| Hip characteristics |
Occasional ovoid hips, approximately 10–14 mm in diameter, orange-red in colour; mainly of botanical and collection interest rather than a primary ornamental or production feature. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Rated hardy to about -26 to -23 °C (RHS H7, Swedish zone 4, USDA 5b); resistant to powdery mildew, black spot and rust under typical conditions, supporting reduced chemical interventions. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Suited to flowerbeds, cut-flower style plantings, specimen use and parks; recommended as a bush-trained form with 3–5 framework canes, low maintenance needs, and a premium container route in 5–7 L pots. |
TRAVIATA® on own roots combines exhibition-form deep-red blooms, reliable hardiness and disease resistance with predictable, renewable stands, making it a sound candidate for aligning capacities and scheduling in premium rose ranges.
