White Queen Elizabeth – pharmaROSA® NEONATAL rooted cutting
Professional propagation of White Queen Elizabeth as pharmaROSA® NEONATAL offers a stable, own-root base for large-scale nursery production where uniformity, reliable remontant flowering and predictable structure are central to planning. This upright, bush-trained form with dense, glossy foliage and medium maintenance demand translates efficiently into standard-container programmes, especially 2–3 L routes feeding retail and reseller networks. The high-centred, cut-rose type flower form and strong colour retention support a clear, “reliable garden performance” positioning in dedicated rose gardens, urban beds and specimen plantings, while own-root longevity underpins long-term collection and project work. Over UK production cycles the plant establishes roots in year one, builds structural shoots in year two and reaches full ornamental value by year three, giving growers a clear scheduling horizon for finished stock. Its H7 hardiness and Zone 4 performance suit Scottish and northern sites, offering reassuring winter tolerance for nursery beds and public-realm project supply where consistency, planning, logistics and long-term sustainability are critical across integrated networks.
Usage options
Finished-product ideas
- 2–3 L Retail Bedding Rose – Upright, bush-trained plants in standard 2–3 L pots, positioned as reliable white bedding floribundas for garden performance-focused retail assortments – target audience/channel: supermarket and DIY retail chains
- Urban Specimen White Rose – Select taller, well-branched plants for 5–7.5 L containers, marketed as upright specimen roses with scented white blooms for compact urban gardens – target audience/channel: independent garden centres
- Commemorative Collection Line – Curated 3–5 L range built around the White Queen Elizabeth name and pure white colour, ideal for thematic and memorial rose collections – target audience/channel: specialist rose retailers and mail-order
- Public-Realm Bedding Module – Uniform batches from NEONATAL stock for 2–3 L contract planting lines, optimised for beds and urban schemes where medium maintenance and reliable repeat flowering are required – target audience/channel: landscape contractors and municipal buyers
- Large Patio Feature Rose – Upgraded specimens grown on from standard containers into 40–50 L planters, using the upright habit and dense foliage for high-impact white-flowering patio features – target audience/channel: project-based landscape and commercial site suppliers
Technical cultivar profile
| Parameter |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Floribunda / Hybrid Tea bed rose; registered as White Queen Elizabeth, also traded as White Queen Elizabeth Bedding rose; ARS exhibition name White Queen Elizabeth; exhibition category shrub rose and cut flower. |
| Origin and breeding |
Sport of the well-known ‘Queen Elizabeth’; bred by Banner in the United Kingdom and introduced and registered in 1965; breeding company and initial distributor data are not provided in available records. |
| Awards and recognition |
Not provided; there are no documented competition, collectors’ or lifetime awards listed for this cultivar in the supplied data, and no additional formal recognition information is available here. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Upright shrub reaching approximately 130–170 cm in height with 100–140 cm spread; dense, glossy, dark green foliage; moderate prickliness; self-cleaning is weak so spent blooms should be removed to maintain appearance and encourage repeat flowering. |
| Flower morphology |
Cluster-flowered, double blooms with 26–39 petals; large-sized flowers (2.75–3.95 in) on high-centred, pointed buds with a cut-rose character; remontant flowering habit with an abundant second flush under suitable cultural and climatic conditions. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Colour classified as white (ARS W; RHS 155D, 155C); buds crystal-clear white, sometimes with silky pink blush; flowers open snow-white with pearly sheen, later soft creamy white; overall effect remains white with occasional pale pink inner tones and very good colour retention. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Moderately fragrant variety with a soft tea-scented character; fragrance strength is described as medium and noticeable; double, partially open-centred flowers provide only moderate attractiveness to pollinating insects due to reduced nectar and pollen access. |
| Hip characteristics |
Rose hip formation is expected to be minimal; where present, hips are small, around 10–14 mm in diameter, egg-shaped and orange-red in colour, so ornamental fruit display is not a major feature of this cultivar. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Hardy to approximately −26 to −23 °C (RHS H7), Swedish Zone 4 and USDA 5b; moderate disease resistance overall, with powdery mildew, black spot and rust all rated moderate; average heat and drought tolerance, needing irrigation in prolonged dry spells. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Suitable for flower beds, cut flower use, specimen roles and urban gardens; recommended as a bush-trained, compact plant for standard container production, especially 2–3 L pots; medium maintenance needs, including periodic pest and disease control and deadheading. |
White Queen Elizabeth as pharmaROSA NEONATAL offers upright structure, reliable remontant flowering and H7 hardiness on a predictable, long-lived own-root base, making it a sound option for UK nursery and project supply where we can jointly plan capacity and timing.
