''Rosa'' × ''centifolia'' (lit. hundred leaved rose; syn. ''R. gallica'' var. ''centifolia'' (L.) Regel), the Provence rose, cabbage rose or Rose de Mai, is a

hybrid Hybrid may refer to: Science * Hybrid (biology), an offspring resulting from cross-breeding ** Hybrid grape, grape varieties produced by cross-breeding two ''Vitis'' species ** Hybridity, the property of a hybrid plant which is a union of two dif ...

rose A rose is either a woody perennial flowering plant of the genus ''Rosa'' (), in the family Rosaceae (), or the flower it bears. There are over three hundred species and tens of thousands of cultivars. They form a group of plants that can be ...

developed by

Dutch Dutch commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands * Dutch people () * Dutch language () Dutch may also refer to: Places * Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States * Pennsylvania Dutch Country People E ...

breeders in the period between the 17th century and the 19th century, possibly earlier.

History

Its parentage includes ''Rosa'' × ''damascena'', but it may be a complex hybrid; its exact hereditary history is not well documented or fully investigated, but it now appears that this is not the "hundred-leaved" (''centifolia'') rose mentioned by

Theophrastus Theophrastus (; grc-gre, Θεόφραστος ; c. 371c. 287 BC), a Greek philosopher and the successor to Aristotle in the Peripatetic school. He was a native of Eresos in Lesbos.Gavin Hardy and Laurence Totelin, ''Ancient Botany'', Routledge ...

and

Pliny Pliny may refer to: People * Pliny the Elder (23–79 CE), ancient Roman nobleman, scientist, historian, and author of ''Naturalis Historia'' (''Pliny's Natural History'') * Pliny the Younger (died 113), ancient Roman statesman, orator, w ...

: "no unmistakable reference can be traced earlier than about 1580".Alice M. Coats ''Garden Shrubs and Their Histories'', (1964) 1992, p. 175. The original plant was sterile, but a

sport Sport pertains to any form of Competition, competitive physical activity or game that aims to use, maintain, or improve physical ability and Skill, skills while providing enjoyment to participants and, in some cases, entertainment to specta ...

with single flowers appeared in 1769, from which various cultivars known as centifolia roses were developed, many of which are further hybrids. Other cultivars have appeared as further sports from these roses. ''Rosa'' × ''centifolia'' 'Muscosa' is a sport with a thick covering of resinous hairs on the flower buds, from which most (but not all) "moss roses" are derived. Dwarf or miniature sports have been known for almost as long as the larger forms, including a miniature moss rose 'Moss de Meaux'. In 1783 the French artist Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun painted a famous portrait of Marie Antoinette holding a pink centifolia rose.

Growth

Individual plants are shrubby in appearance, growing to 1.5–2 m tall, with long drooping canes and greyish green pinnate leaves with 5-7 leaflets. The flowers are round and globular, with numerous thin overlapping petals that are highly scented; they are usually pink, less often white to dark red-purple.

Cultivation and uses

''R.'' × ''centifolia'' is particular to the French city of

Grasse Grasse (; Provençal dialect, Provençal oc, Grassa in classical norm or in Mistralian norm ; traditional it, Grassa) is the only Subprefectures in France, subprefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes Departments of France, department in the Provence- ...

, known as the perfume capital of the world. It is widely cultivated for its singular fragrance — clear and sweet, with light notes of honey. The flowers are commercially harvested for the production of

rose oil Rose oil (rose otto, attar of rose, attar of roses, or rose essence) is the essential oil extracted from the petals of various types of rose. ''Rose ottos'' are extracted through steam distillation, while ''rose absolutes'' are obtained through ...

, which is commonly used in perfumery.

Centifolia cultivars

Cultivars of ''Rosa'' × ''centifolia'' that are still grown include: * 'Bullata', also called 'Lettuce Rose' and 'À Feuilles de Laitue', known since 1801 * 'Cristata', also called 'Chapeau de Napoleon' * 'Fantin-Latour', blush pink, fragrant * 'Petite de Hollande', also called 'Pompon des Dames', known since the 18th century * 'Rose de Meaux', also called "Rosa pomponia", known since 1637 * 'Unique Blanche', also called 'Mutabilis', 'White Provence', 'Vièrge de Cléry' and other names * 'Village Maid', introduced by Vibert in 1845, a striped flower Both 'Centifola' and 'Fantin-Latour' are recipients of the

Royal Horticultural Society The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity. The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr (Nort ...

Award of Garden Merit The Award of Garden Merit (AGM) is a long-established annual award for plants by the British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It is based on assessment of the plants' performance under UK growing conditions. History The Award of Garden Merit ...

References

External links

*
Plants for a Future: ''Rosa centifolia''Centifolia: The Hundred-Petalled Rose
centifolia Medicinal plants Hybrid plants {{Rosa-stub