VELASQUEZ® – deep pink hybrid tea rose – Meilland
Premium own-root VELASQUEZ® provides a stable base for container and border production where quality flower presentation and repeat cuts are commercially decisive. As a hybrid tea with remontant flowering, very strong fragrance and high-centred, solitary blooms, it is well aligned to premium-positioned, 5–7 L finished plants for retail and reseller channels. Its resistant foliage (black spot, mildew, rust) and H7 hardiness support reliable crop performance in nursery networks that must cope with varied UK conditions, including sites where winter and wind tolerance are important. Own-root production underpins long-term longevity, homogeneous stands and predictable re-propagation, with bush-trained NEONATAL cuttings forming 3–5 strong framework canes for a clear specimen outline by the time they reach sales size. Over a natural development arc where roots establish in year one, framework and flowering build in year two, and full ornamental value stabilises from year three, this cultivar supports wholesale ranges for thematic rose gardens, curated collections and exclusive, fragrance-led offers.
Usage options
Finished-product ideas
- 5–7 L Premium Fragrance Hybrid Tea – Finished in bush form from NEONATAL stock for strong framework and XL, very double blooms, positioned as an exclusive, scent-led feature for patios and borders – target: retail and reseller fragrance collections
- Award-Winning Collection Line – Grouped with other decorated cultivars, using disease-resistant, own-root plants to create a low-intervention, high-prestige assortment for thematic rose gardens – target: specialist nurseries and show-garden suppliers
- Cut-Flower Style Garden Rose – High-centred, solitary blooms marketed for garden cutting, grown on from bush-trained NEONATAL plants in 5–7 L containers to balance flower form and hardiness – target: independent garden centres and lifestyle ranges
- Hardy Scented Border Range – Upright, dense-foliage habit and H7 hardiness used to build repeat-flowering border lines with strong fragrance and low maintenance demands – target: landscaper-facing wholesale catalogues
- Own-Root Stock and Mother-Block Units – Uniform NEONATAL starts established in beds or larger containers (including 40–50 L units where long-term holding is needed) for renewable, disease-resilient propagation bases – target: nursery networks and integrator systems
Technical cultivar profile
| Parameter |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Hybrid tea rose from the PERFUMELLA® collection; registered as MEImirtylus, traded as Velasquez® PERFUMELLA® MEImirtylus with ARS exhibition name Velasquez for show use. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred in France by Alain Meilland (Meilland International SA), bred around 2010, introduced 2011 via Meilland Richardier; parentage is recorded as unknown in available data. |
| Awards and recognition |
Holder of multiple 2011 awards including Grande Rose du Siècle and Prestige de la Rose at Lyon, best large-flowered rose titles, a Tokyo silver medal, an audience prize at Avignon and Label Rouge status. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Upright habit reaching approximately 100–140 cm in height with 50–70 cm spread; dense, slightly glossy dark green foliage, moderate prickliness and bush character suited to 3–5 cane training. |
| Flower morphology |
Very double, XL-sized hybrid tea blooms with 40+ petals; high-centred, pointed buds presented mainly as solitary flowers, delivering a typical cut-rose style profile on garden plants. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Deep, velvety pink with subtle lilac sheen; newly opened flowers rich cherry-pink, gradually lightening to mid-pink with lilac edges; RHS 60A outer and 60B inner, with moderate colour retention during flowering. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Very strong, long-lasting fragrance is recorded, although no detailed scent note breakdown is available; the intensity allows positioning in fragrance-led ranges and sensory garden concepts. |
| Hip characteristics |
Hip set is generally low due to the very double flower form; occasional ovoid, orange-red hips of about 12–18 mm diameter may form but are not a defining ornamental feature. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Rated resistant to powdery mildew, black spot and rust; tolerates frost to about −21 to −18 °C (RHS H7), fitting USDA zone 6b and Swedish zone 3; moderate drought tolerance with watering needed in prolonged dry spells. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Suited for borders, containers, specimen and cut-flower style garden use; recommended as a low-maintenance, hardy variety; NEONATAL form delivered bush-trained with 3–5 strong canes for premium container finishing. |
VELASQUEZ® combines very strong fragrance, award-backed flower quality and disease-resistant, own-root reliability to support stable, long-lived premium ranges; please contact us to coordinate volumes and production scheduling.
