I had this rose in a pot in part-shade. I live in zone 9a. It is hot and humid here - and when it did bloom (which wasn't that often) the blooms balled and didn't open properly. I water and fertilize regularly, and my other roses in similar light conditions were doing fine. Perhaps this is a rose for cooler climates, where it might perform better.
Here in southern Appalachia we have mild, damp conditions that favor balling in roses, and I have discarded a number of varieties for that reason. I have not had this problem with Gruss an Aachen or Pink Gruss. I wonder if the problem described above is peculiar to Florida and similar climates. This is odd, because the Florida climate is not particularly bad for balling.
In my garden, these roses, on their own roots, and with 5 hours of sun, quickly grew to 3.5' x 3.5' with excellent repeat bloom. The plant habit is graceful and compact, requiring little pruning. They are susceptible to blackspot.
It’s very hot during the growing season here in Dallas, TX and Gruss an Aachen blooms most all the time. As much as any rose I’ve ever grown. For me, the fragrance is great too. Everything about this plant is graceful. Great rose for the garden, but the blooms don’t do well when cut and put in a vase, if that is something that is important to you.
The earliest references in Rosen-Zeitung class it as a Hybrid Polyantha with no references to its parentage that I can see. FKD x Franz Deegen is indeed suspect.
1916 The Rose Annual p104. Walter Easlea. Dwarf Polyantha Roses. 1909 Gruss an Aachen
p110. Ibid. There is a tendency on the part of raisers to produce varieties with large blooms. I refer to such as Gruss an Aachen and 'Mosella'. These come very near to being Hybrid Teas and are very charming. 'Gruss an Aachen' is a Rose that should be in every collection, but as a poly-pom it seems out of place.
