Marin Rose Society - Rose of the Month

Royal Sunset
Rose of the Month For March, 2009
by Gail Trimble

'Royal Sunset’ was bred in the United States by Dr. Dennison Morey in 1960 from a cross of ‘Sungold’, a medium yellow, climbing hybrid tea, and ‘Sutter’s Gold’, an orange blend hybrid tea that was awarded the 1950 All-America Rose Selection. Dr. Dennison Morey is listed as the hybridizer of 59 registered roses – the most famous perhaps, are ‘Nancy Reagan’, an apricot blend hybrid tea, ‘Popcorn’, a white miniature, ‘Fusilier’, an orange-red floribunda that was awarded the 1958 All-America Rose Selection, and ‘King’s Ransom’, a deep yellow hybrid tea that won the 1962 All-America Rose Selection.

Introduced by Jackson and Perkins, ‘Royal Sunset’ is classified by the American Rose Society as an apricot blend, large-flowered climber with an outstanding garden rating of 8.9. ‘Royal Sunset’ has blooms of 20 petals, has moderate fruity fragrance, large leathery foliage, is very vigorous, and blooms in flushes throughout the season. It was awarded the Portland Gold Medal in 1960.

‘Royal Sunset’ sets hips easily and is the parent of 5 registered roses – the only ones currently available are ‘Butterscotch’, a russet large-flowered climber, and ‘La Canadienne’, an orange blend hybrid tea . Growing to a height of 8’ to 15’, ‘Royal Sunset’ is very disease resistant and is widely available.

Previous Roses of the Month