Marin Rose Society - Rose of the Month

Rio Samba
Rose of the Month For May, 2008
by Barbara Picarelli

I absolutely love the orange yellow combinations in roses, and have several. This one bloomed last year but not as nicely as this year (could be the chicken manure?). I put this rose in last year in a new rose bed, so it’s only two years old. It was hybridized by Bill Warriner in 1991 and listed as a hybrid tea and a yellow blend. As you can see, there is a lot of yellow at the base of the petals, but the pink-orange is predominate on the outer portion of the petal. So far the bush has clean foliage, and the leaves are a nice dark green with medium sized prickles. The buds are quite pretty in a darker orange/pink (almost shocking orange), pointed with blooms borne both singly and in small clusters. While the literature says it will be five feet tall, my bush so far is about 3 feet and a nice bushy upright plant. Unfortunately it has little fragrance. Its parentage was a seedling x ‘Sunbright’ and introduced by Bear Creek Gardens in 1993. It was an AARS winner that year The rose is available at most garden centers.

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