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'Mel Hulse'*, bred by Paul Barden, 1999. Registered October 2001.
*formerly known as "Princemoss"

This has turned out to be one of the most pleasant surprises of the 2000 season. This was a seedling from the 1999 sowing of seeds of the cross 'Scarlet Moss' X 'The Prince'. I tried only a couple pollinations because 'The Prince' is very stingy with pollen, and got about a dozen seeds. I have a few seedlings from the cross, MOST of which were moderately to very mossy. This was the only one that showed any of the purple coloring inherited from 'The Prince'. It also has moderate mossing on the sepals, and has the wonderful habit of blooming with up to 15 blooms on a shoot! What's not to like?!

To see a larger image of the new cane with its red thorns and mossy buds, click on the image at left.

So far, this has remained a short shrub of about 20" tall, and slightly wider than that. As you can see, it is also VERY thorny. I don't mind that.....I think that roses are supposed to be thorny anyway! The new spring foliage is a wonderful mahogany red color, with shimmering pearlescent bluish highlights! I almost like the young spring foliage more than its mature leaves.

As you can see, I have named and registered this rose for my friend in San Jose, California; Mel Hulse. Mel is one of the directors of the San Jose Heritage Rose Garden, considered to be the largest collection of roses in the western hemisphere. Mel works hard to promote the SJHRG and rose growing in general, and we are all grateful for the work he does!

Released to commerce in 2002 by The Uncommon Rose.

ARS merit rating: none
Personal merit rating: undecided
Hardiness: Likely USDA zones 5 through 9, but not known yet.
Shrub size: unknown, currently under 2 feet in height.
Fragrance: 1.5, mild scent. Mossing is balsam scented.

Original photographs and site content © 2006 Paul Barden, All Rights Reserved.