Recently I was informed that Star Roses is no longer marketing this wonderful rose. How disappointing! I thought EML was destined to be a major success. I guess the public’s interest in Hulthemia hybrids has a way to go. Sooner or later the day will come! In the meantime the folks who pass by our home in Dana Point will continue to be wowed by this rose.
I did try to get one last year based on your comments, but as you are seeing, its very difficult. The only one I could find last year was online for over $100 from one of those specialty tree places.
From a consumer perspective, I think the persica types would sell better are large-flowered floribundas. Also from the same perspective, they need to stop using the eye names. There is a point where its kind of creepy. They need to be marketed with the weekend warrior in mind to catch on. Like, for example, if there was a newer, more modern floribunda variant of 'Eyes For You' named something like 'Beauty Mark' or some such thing, or another beautiful name that doesn't even hint at the persica eye, I think it would be more readily received by the public. There are TONS of annuals, perennials, shrubs and bulbs with similar eye zone genetics, and almost all of them do not even point out the eye. It just exists as is. Very few exceptions, like Hibiscus 'Red Heart' gives a slight hint of that, but examples like that are one off.
The virtues of this rose keep adding up. Here in SoCal western flower thrips and chili thrips are major problems for many rosarians. EML has shown amazing tolerance to both kinds of thrips.
It is difficult to. The distribution of this rose is so very limited. I have yet to even see it in person. Regan seems to be the one that had it this year. I see a lot of Happy Trails and Sunblazes locally, where Eyeconics used to be sold. Unsure why.
Michael, here too in Southern California, availability has been a real problem. The word is slowly getting around that EML is a very special rose. I’m hoping that in the future this rose will be more widely available. Another point, commercially available plants of this cultivar are on their own roots. While these plants do quite well, real improvement in plant size and productivity occurs when budded.
Perhaps you could consider adding it to the Time Capsule of Roses (has a web page) as not the first hulthemia hybrid, but in your opinion one of the best.
Can you comment on pest and disease resistance as the statement has been made that the Eyeconic series will not be released in Australia as P & D is a problem area for these roses.
There are 8 roses in the Eyeconic series. I can speak with authority only on Eyeconic Mango Lemonade. EML is widely recognized as being the best rose in the series. Here in Southern California EML has shown an excellent disease resistance profile with respect to powdery mildew and rust. I cannot comment on blackspot as it is rarely a problem in my garden. On the pest front EML has shown remarkable tolerance to western flower thrips. WFT’s have become a serious problem for many SoCal rosarians. For me EML has been a joy to grow.
Without doubt it’s WFT’s and not CT’s. I can see the critters! What I find out is that all roses are attacked by WFT’s. Some cultivars are quick to show signs of damage. Others, like EML, show little in the way of damage. One caveat, if the attack by thrips is severe enough, virtually all roses will show signs of damage.
Despite the problems the Pacific Northwest brings in terms of super wet weather and the diseases that come with that, it also wards off a lot of these pests. It also helps to be on the other side of the Rockies, to shelter the PNW from pests, like rose rosette disease mites, blown in by winds from the east. It is actually why about 5 or so rose sources will not ship to the PNW. To ensure these pests stay away.
I am sorry anyone has to deal with these destructive creeps.
They tell me you have Chilli Thrips in WA, Patricia. Hope the Nullarbor stops them from travelling east. My original comment was really directed at disease issues with the Eyeconic series rather than pests.
Yes, there is chilli thrip in Perth, 370 ks further north from me. I live in the middle of forest and unless I bring it in, my garden of old roses is safe. I now grow any vegetables from seed. While I am tempted by an occasional old rose, I desist. Probably cuttings with no leaves and dipped in a weak solution of bleach might be the way to go, but I am not willing to take the risk
There is another feature of this remarkable rose worthy of praise and that is its remontancy (repeat blooming character). This year my established plants produced 6 abundant bloom cycles. It must be emphasized that the plants were promptly deadheaded after each bloom cycle and were adequately watered and fed. Another feature of note is that the plants were rarely without blooms.
