All gardeners know that cultivated plants are developed, either by chance or plan, from wild or species parents. So it is with the rose family, which has a particularly rich selection of species from the northern hemisphere. Remember there are no roses native to the southern hemisphere.
There are generally considered to be about 125 different species – 95 from Asia; 18 from North America and the other 12 mainly from Europe. Each species may have quite a deal of variation in its features due to free hybridization in the wild and the area (soil) in which it developed. Many, taken from their native territory, became pests and even declared noxious weeds. An example if r. multiflora which is noxious in many American states, covering whole hillsides like blackberries.
Within the group of plants known as roses, there are a number of tribes which contain roses of similar botanical features. A potted version of these tribes are;
GALLICANAE - From Europe, they are distinguished by upright growth, thin needlelike prickles and, when on their own roots, many sucker rapidly. Once flowering in pink, beetroot red and purple slate tones.
CANINAE - The Dog Roses from Europe have a very untidy growth pattern and are well armoured with needlelike prickles. Flowering in summer only, the flowers are single and pink to cream. They produce an array of hips in autumn, which the birds distribute, spreading the plants far and wide.
PIMPINELLIFOLIAE - The Scots or Burnet roses from Europe are generally compact and twiggy, well armed with thin thorns and hard bristles. Spring flowering in usually single form in yellow, cream, white or pink. The hips are usually very round, shiny and black.
INDICAE - Most of the roses from China fall in this tribe. Many, if not most, are cultivated forms taken into gardens centuries ago. Their growth is twiggy and dense with large soft leaves. The flowers typically, hang their heads and the thorns are sparse, but hooked and strong. Repeating flower colours range from soft yellow to pink and crimson.
SYNSTYLAE - This tribe is the climbers, five of which are worthy of special mention. Musk roses gave the first tendency to recurrent flowering in the Old European roses. r. wichuraiana is vigourous and a rambler which produced the Dorothy Perkins type. r. multiflora gave the Floribundas their large heads of blooms. r. arvensis is little known in Australia, but produced the Ayrshire tribe of roses. r. sempervirens was known by the Victorians as the Evergreens, and produce large clusters of blooms. Examples in our Garden are Felicitie et Perpetue and Adelaide d’Orleans.
CINNAMOMAE - A ‘catch-all’ tribe covering species which don’t fit elsewhere. The tribe have not been used to any extent for breeding purposes, but there are some fine roses in the group, such as the moyessii, and rugosa. These are renowned for their hips.
CAROLINAE - A tribe native to North America including r.virginiana, r. nitida, and r. foliosa. Most of the tribe enjoy wet ground and mild shade.
Several species are quite distinct from the main stream of the above, almost to being regarded as ‘borderline’ Rosa. The banksias, laevigata, bracteata, roxburghii and stellata are in this tribe.
