For reasons not clear to me this very fine rose has never enjoyed much attention. Maybe the horrific name has something to do with it. Although classified as a hybrid tea this rose is a classic grandiflora as most of blooms are disposed in lovely clusters. In contrast to many of Joe Winchel's creations this one is vigorous with excellent disease resistance. Form and color are outstanding, however, the individual blooms are too small to win Queen. Nonetheless this rose should do very well in the spray and multiple bloom classes. My original plant, I'm proud to say, came from Joe's seedling plant. My bush is 6 feet tall and 8 feet wide and is in continuous bloom. She is far more generous than her mom, Lynn Anderson. I do not know of a source for this rose. One of the great mysteries of rosedom is why some excellent roses fade into obscurity while some crummy ones keep going on and on.

A friend bought this rose in 2003 and I predicted it would be a shovel pruner. Boy was I wrong! It turned out to be one of the most beautiful roses I have ever seen. It has better than average disease resistance and lasts a LONG time in a vase. Even though it is virtually scentless, this rose quickly became a must have. Fortunaltely in 2004, Wal-Mart is mass marketing this rose. I have over a hundred different varieties in my garden, and I highly recommend this rose. If you are like me and have limited space for new roses, you will want to make room for this one. It's worth it!