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'Stephens' Big Purple' rose Description
'Big Purple' rose photo
Photo courtesy of quendery
Availability:
Commercially available
HMF Ratings:
125 favorite votes.  
Average rating: EXCELLENT.  
ARS:
Mauve or mauve blend Hybrid Tea.
Registration name: STEbigpu
Exhibition name: Stephens' Big Purple
Origin:
Bred by Pat Stephens (New Zealand, 1985).
Class:
Hybrid Tea.  
Bloom:
Violet - mauve.  Deep beetroot purple.  Strong, fruity, old rose, sweet fragrance.  35 to 70 petals.  Average diameter 5".  Very large, very full (41+ petals), borne mostly solitary bloom form.  Blooms in flushes throughout the season.  
Habit:
Tall.  Large, dark green foliage.  

Height: 3' to 6' (90 to 185cm).  Width: 2' (60cm).
Growing:
USDA zone 6a and warmer.  Can be used for cut flower.  Heat tolerant.  Disease susceptibility: very disease resistant.  Spring Pruning: Remove old canes and dead or diseased wood and cut back canes that cross. In warmer climates, cut back the remaining canes by about one-third. In colder areas, you'll probably find you'll have to prune a little more than that.  Requires spring freeze protection (see glossary - Spring freeze protection) .  
Patents:
Australia - Patent No: 1990/027  on  31 Jan 1991
Application No: 1990/027  on  15 Feb 1990   VIEW PBR PATENT
Synonym: Big Purple. Applicant: Paddy Stephens.
 
New Zealand - Patent No: 457  on  16 May 1989
 
United States - Patent No: PP 6,262  on  30 Aug 1988   VIEW USPTO PATENT
Application No: 895289  on  11 Aug 1986
Rose plant named Stebigpu
Patrick N. Stephens, deceased, late of Te Awamutu, New Zealand
... a large, heavily petalled reddish purple hybrid tea rose... characterized particularly by large, heavily petalled reddish purple flowers borne on a vigorous, disease resistant plant and which are long lasting on the plant and as cut flowers... Parentage: unnamed, unpatented seedling x 'Purple Splendor'... Average bloom size when fully expanded -- about 5 inches... Number of petals under normal conditions -- about 60-70... Fragrance: Rich rose... Hips: None observed... Height: About 6 feet... Resistance to disease: Blackspot -- excellent. Mildew -- excellent. Rust -- excellent... Very winter hardy...
Notes:
Big Purple was removed from the Auckland Regional Botanic Gardens (ARBG) Display Trial because its trial period expired.