Purple roses offer a captivating allure, bringing unique beauty and elegance to any garden. Their distinct coloration adds a sophisticated touch, symbolizing enchantment and royalty.
Understanding Purple Rose Hues
The spectrum of purple in roses is remarkably diverse, ranging from delicate lilac and soft lavender to rich plum and deep, velvety amethyst. This broad range means “purple” encompasses many distinct shades. The coloration in rose petals primarily stems from natural pigments called anthocyanins. These water-soluble compounds, also found in other plants, can appear red, pink, purple, blue, or black depending on their chemical structure and the pH within the rose’s cells. Higher pH levels within the petal’s vacuole tend to produce bluer hues in anthocyanin-rich flowers.
Popular Purple Hybrid Tea Varieties
Hybrid Tea roses are known for their classic, elegant form, featuring large, shapely blooms on long, sturdy stems, making them ideal for cut flowers. ‘Blue Moon’ boasts strongly fragrant, fully double lavender blooms, often measuring around 4 inches wide with up to 40 petals. This upright shrub thrives in sunny locations, and its glossy, deep green foliage contrasts beautifully with the flowers. ‘Barbra Streisand’ is another Hybrid Tea, recognized for its fragrant lavender blooms edged with magenta, reaching approximately 4 inches across. This vigorous, upright shrub offers a strong citrus-rose perfume and blooms consistently from spring through fall.
‘Big Purple’ is a Hybrid Tea, producing large, purple-mauve blooms with an intense fragrance, often described as an old rose scent. This variety has good disease resistance, though it can occasionally show signs of black spot. Its high-centered flower form opens slowly and maintains its beauty on the bush. ‘Heirloom’ features semi-double, lilac-lavender flowers, also around 4 inches in size, with a sweet fragrance. This disease-resistant, bushy shrub performs well in mild climates.
Popular Purple Floribunda and Grandiflora Varieties
Floribunda roses are cherished for their abundant clusters of blooms, providing continuous color. Grandiflora roses combine the large blooms of Hybrid Teas with the cluster-flowering habit of Floribundas, often growing into taller, more vigorous plants. ‘Plum Perfect’ is a Floribunda, with plush double blooms in a violet plum shade that gently fades to lavender. This Kordes-bred variety forms clusters of flowers and exhibits excellent black spot resistance, performing well in both hot and cold climates. Its blooms have an antique appearance and a moderate sweet scent.
‘Ebb Tide’ is a Floribunda, featuring smoky plum-purple, old-fashioned double blooms that release a strong clove and citrus fragrance. This compact, bushy rose blooms prolifically from late spring until frost, with its semi-glossy, dark green foliage enhancing the deep purple flowers. For Grandiflora types, ‘Twilight Zone’ has large, deep velvety magenta flowers, often appearing in clusters. This award-winning variety offers a citrus-spice fragrance and performs well even in rainy climates, providing reliable repeat flowering. ‘Lagerfeld’ is another Grandiflora, with powerfully perfumed lavender-mauve roses, often borne singularly or in small clusters.
Other Notable Purple Rose Types
Beyond Hybrid Teas, Floribundas, and Grandifloras, other rose classifications offer purple varieties, each with unique growth habits. Climbing roses provide vertical interest; ‘Quicksilver’ is a climber that produces continuous English-style double blooms. Its buds start pink but open to silvery lavender with mauve centers, and the plant reaches about 7 feet tall with disease-resistant, rich green foliage. ‘Reine des Violettes’ is an Old Garden Rose known for its nearly thorn-free canes and lilac-pink quartered blooms with a peppery old rose fragrance.
Shrub roses offer a bushy habit and strong growth, like ‘Rhapsody in Blue’, which presents deep purple blooms and healthy foliage. Miniature roses are compact plants for containers or small spaces. ‘Sweet Chariot’ is a fragrant miniature rose whose blooms start dark purple and transition to a pastel lavender, and it is particularly suitable for hanging baskets. ‘Lavender Jewel’ is another miniature rose featuring full, lavender blossoms that bloom from spring to fall and are cold hardy.
Choosing the Best Purple Rose for Your Garden
Selecting a purple rose involves considering several factors to ensure it thrives and meets your aesthetic preferences. First, consider the specific shade of purple you desire, from light lavenders to deep plums. Evaluate the growth habit that best suits your garden space, such as Hybrid Tea, Floribunda, Grandiflora, or climbing. Fragrance preference is another aspect, as purple roses can offer scents ranging from citrus to clove or classic rose. Finally, consider your local hardiness zone and research disease resistance, as these impact the rose’s health and maintenance.