W. Kordes' Söhne (en. ''W. Kordes' Sons'') is a German rose breeding company in Klein Offenseth-Sparrieshoop in

Schleswig-Holstein Schleswig-Holstein (; da, Slesvig-Holsten; nds, Sleswig-Holsteen; frr, Slaswik-Holstiinj) is the northernmost of the 16 states of Germany, comprising most of the historical duchy of Holstein and the southern part of the former Duchy of Sch ...

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

. The company is one of the world's leading rose breeders and producers for cut roses and

garden roses Garden roses are predominantly 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 ...

, annually selling worldwide more than two million rose plants at retail and wholesale. Each year, more than 50,000 new crosses of garden roses and cut roses are tested, leading to four to six marketable varieties after a trial period of eight to ten years.

History

Wilhelm Kordes I (born 1865 in Holstein, Germany, died 1935 in

Klein Offenseth-Sparrieshoop Klein Offenseth-Sparrieshoop is a municipality in the district of Pinneberg, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous countr ...

) was a German horticulturist. In 1887 he created a rose garden in Elmshorn, specializing in growing

. In 1918 he moved the firm to

. His sons, the breeder Wilhelm Kordes II (born 30 March 1891 in Elmshorn, died 11 November 1976) and Hermann Kordes (1893-1963) changed the name of the expanding company to "Wilhelm Kordes' Söhne". Wilhelm Kordes II's varieties made them one of the biggest rose firms of the twentieth century. His general aim was to breed hardy and healthy varieties for the German climate. After 1920 he concentrated entirely on rose-growing, leaving management to his brother Hermann. By the mid-1930s, the company had grown to considerable size. : ilhelm'sexperiments focused at first upon the native European species, including ''Rosa canina'', ''R. rubiginosa'', and ''R. spinosissima'': the results include such important shrub roses as 'Harry Maasz' (1939), 'Louis Rödiger' (1935), 'Raubritter' (1936), 'Karl Föster' (1930), and the early-flowering "Frühling" series. He also experimented with the Hybrid Musks such as 'Elmshorn' (1950), 'Erfurt' (1931), and 'Eva' (1933). is son Reimer later bred 'Iceberg', also a Hybrid Musk.Hybrid Teas were not neglected: 'Crimson Glory' (1935) had an unusually long reign as the world's favourite crimson rose.Charles & Brigid Quest-Ritson, ''The RHS Encyclopedia of Roses'', Dorling Kindersley, 2003, p 221. . During the Second World War Wilhelm Kordes II crossed the East Asian ''Rosa wichurana'' with the Japanese ''Rosa rugosa'' eventually to obtain a new species, ''Rosa kordesii'', able to withstand the harsh winters of north Germany. From it he later bred such famous post-war varieties as 'Parkdirektor Riggers,' 'Leverkusen,' Hamburger Phönix' and 'Heidelberg.' "The dark, glossy foliage of many modern roses can be traced back to 'Kordesii'." Wilhelm Kordes II was also very involved in implementing ADR testing (general testing of new German roses) in 1950, established by the rose breeders in the Federation of German Nurseries. :Above all, it is as a rose breeder than Wilhelm Kordes Iwill be remembered. He and his son Reimer bred some of the world's best-known roses, including 'Crimson Glory' and 'Schneewittchen' ('Iceberg'). Kordes knew that it was through introducing new genes that all the great advances in plant breeding had been achieved. His experiments focused at first upon the native European species and ''Rosa rugosa''; his aim was to develop new bush roses for small gardens.Charles Quest-Ritson, ''Climbing Roses of the World'', Timber Press, 2003, pp 195–6. . From 1955, his son Reimer Kordes (February 19, 1922 – 3 February 1997) ran the company until Reimer's son Wilhelm Kordes III (1953-2016) took over in 1977. :Reimer moved on from shrub roses to concentrate on brilliantly coloured Hybrid Teas and Floribundas for private and public gardens. Nevertheless, he introduced roses of every type: large-flowered climbers such as 'Alchymist' (1956) and 'Antike 89' (1988); ground cover roses such as 'Immensee' and 'Sommerwind'; Hybrid Teas including 'Duftzauber 84' (1984) and 'Kupferkönigin' (1996); shrubs such as 'Chiarivari' (1970), 'Lucinde' (1988), and 'Rosenstadt Zweibrücken' (1989); Floribundas such as 'Golden Holstein' (1988) and 'Crimson Bouquet' (1999); and cut-flower roses such as 'Champagner' (1985). One of the world's best known rose

cultivar A cultivar is a type of cultivated plant that people have selected for desired traits and when propagated retain those traits. Methods used to propagate cultivars include: division, root and stem cuttings, offsets, grafting, tissue culture, ...

s, 'Iceberg' (syn. 'Schneewittchen') was introduced by Reimer Kordes in 1958. The variety was selected as the "World Favourite Rose" of 1983. Other famous cultivars include 'Sunsprite', and 'Aprikola'.

Sortable list of Kordes rose varieties

References

Bibliography

* W. Kordes Söhn
The Kordes firm's website in English
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kordes I, Wilhelm German horticulturists Rose breeders German gardeners 1865 births 1935 deaths