Commercially available

• Aigle rouge
• Belle Sultane
• Gallica Maheca
• Gallica Maheka
• La Belle Sultane
• Mahaeca
• Maheka
• Rosa gallica Maheka flore subsimplici
• Rosa gallica violacea
• Rose maheca simple
• Violacea (gallica)
• Violacea Maheka

173 favorite votes.  
Average rating: EXCELLENT-.  

Dark red.
Registration name: La Belle Sultane

Bred by Unknown Dutch origin (Netherlands, before 1795).

Gallica / Provins.  

Crimson.  Strong fragrance.  Average diameter 4".  Single to semi-double, cupped bloom form.  Once-blooming spring or summer.  Glandular sepals buds.  

Medium, suckers on its own roots, well-branched.  Large, matte foliage.  5 leaflets.  

Height: 5' to 7' (150 to 215cm).  Width: 4' to 5' (120 to 150cm).

USDA zone 4b through 8b.  Shade tolerant.  Disease susceptibility: very disease resistant.  

Another rose named Maheka was bred by Noisette and is a Boursault.

Sangerhausen lists a Hybrid Pendulina by this name, Holland c. 1800. Mrs. Gore describes a light pink Centifolia by this name. Today, when you mention this rose, most people who know it think of the dark red Gallica.

Sets hips
In September 1998, the Montreal Botanical Garden (Le Jardin Botanique de Montreal) carried out a survey of its roses' resistance to black spot, powdery mildew and rust. This is one of the outstanding varieties which showed a 0% to 5% infection rate. The data were taken on well-established roses.
'Cumberland' is a centifolia and not a synonym for 'Maheka' - see.