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'Gene Boerner' rose Reviews & Comments
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Our Gene Boerner is pretty huge. Slightly taller than me (I'm six feet even.) And even wider. But it takes well to pruning into whatever shape you care to give it.
It's flower producing capabilities are amazing. Hundreds of medium sized bright pink blossoms that are shaped like little hybrid teas. It lasts well when cut, and seems to be a favorite of local birds to nest build in. :) It also has relatively few thorns and stands up to 100 degree heat. No disease to speak of.
To me, it blows those Knock Out roses completely out of the water. No comparison. While I am no doubt in the minority, I even prefer Gene to Queen Elizabeth. The shapeliness of the flowers makes it rather unique among such free flowering varieties. No sacrifice of quality for quantity here.
It seems to be undergoing a revival of sorts at big box stores and nurseries. At least here in AZ. I for one am glad as it deserves to be widely available.
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I bought one of the box store 'Gene Boener' body bags. Even with virus, alas, it still blooms all summer on a strong plant and has survived two winters so far. In my zone 5 garden it gets about 4' tall. I agree that this is truly a great rose.
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Its a good rose. Its only major faults are scentlessness and petals like to cling on for dear life.
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Initial post
26 MAY 08 by
Unregistered Guest
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Coral pink roses like Sonia, Cherish, Tournamnet of Roses etc are usually a big bore to me; I get off on the true pink and dark rose pink varieties. Also 90% of my roses have a strong scent.
But.... that said: Gene Boerner is too perfect to resist despite its boring color and lack of frangrance.. My 5ft x 4ft plant is in bloom all year in LA, California, and during it's several major flushes it looks like a huge pink cotton-candy plant. Each liitle flower has such perfect from , it puts most hybrid teas to shame.
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Agreed 100% on this assessment.
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I agree with your praise and can add this this rose is also blooming well in zone 5. Unfortunately, my body bag rescue plant is afflicted with very noticeable Rose Mosaic Virus, and will likely not survive the winter.
I grow the BBs as annuals--if they survive the winter, that's wonderful, but I don't expect it-- but do you know a commercial source for Eugene Boerner which does not have RMV?
I do also like the subtle coloring of some coral roses, to each their own.
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Previously grown in South Mississippi, Gene was the all-star of the rose garden. The large-for-a-Floribunda plant was always covered in bouquets of mini-hybrid tea blooms. Not only that, but the plant itself is very attractive being covered in disease resistant foliage all the way to the ground. We never had one problem with this plant. To top it off, the blooms are excellent for cutting. Every old lady in my hometown had bouquets of Gene from me all summer long. We didn't have enough room, or vases, in the house to keep them all! At the mention of roses, my mom always raves about this rose and says she wishes she could find another GB plant. The only drawback is a lack of fragrance, but given the other outstanding qualities of the rose, it's still a must-have.
August 2016 Update: After reestablishing a rose garden in Houston, TX this year, I planted 2 Gene Boerners. GB is still an all-star rose, pumping out perfectly pink flowers even in the insane heat and dry conditions we had during the height of summer. They're a little on the small side, but with establishment they do better. GB is simply an incredible rose that you may sometimes overlook, but later appreciate when you realize how carefree it is and how persnickety other roses can be.
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Available from - Pickering Nurseries
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