Tea roses are one of the most beloved types of roses around the world.
Originating from China, tea roses earned their name from their distinct scent that is reminiscent of black tea.
Today, tea roses are a well-known category of roses that has earned the admiration of gardeners worldwide.
Read on to learn more about tea roses along with tips on how to successfully grow tea roses in your garden.
What Are Tea Roses?
Physical Characteristics
The tea rose flower has a high-centered bloom form. Its petals open up into a spiral rosette form and the petals tend to roll back on the edges, giving it a pointed appearance.
The flower stalks of some tea roses tend to be weak, resulting in the roses having a “nodding” appearance.
Growing Habits
Tea roses have a unique set of growing habits that make them favorable among gardeners.
These roses typically grow to be between 3 and 9 feet tall and 2 to 12 feet wide on average, with some notable varieties reaching staggering heights as tall as 16 feet.
Tea roses are often grown as bushy shrubs, but can also be trained as climbing roses.
Fragrance And Color
Tea roses are known for their fragrance which is reminiscent of Chinese black tea, hence their name “tea rose”.
However, not all tea roses have this signature fragrance.
Tea roses come in a variety of pastel colors, ranging from white, pink, yellow, and orange.
White and pink are the classic tea rose colors, though yellow and orange were a novelty at the time of its cultivation.
How To Grow Tea Roses
Ideal Growing Conditions For Tea Roses
Tea roses are not hardy to cold climates and grow best in locations that have warm, long summers and brief, mild winters.
Avoid planting tea roses in climates that have frost or snow, as this can be detrimental to the longevity of your tea roses.
Sunlight is a necessity for healthy, productive tea roses.
At least 6 hours of sunlight per day is a must-have when it comes to tea roses unless otherwise specified.
Soil Preparation And How To Plant Tea Roses
Preparing your soil for healthy tea roses starts off with a good, nutrient-dense foundation.
A few weeks prior to planting your roses, we recommend working in organic compost into the ground about 9 inches deep.
Doing this weeks prior allows the compost to properly settle into the ground.
This compost is going to give your tea roses a vital boost of nutrients in order to establish themselves and produce a bounty of roses.
How To Plant Tea Roses
- Step 1
Make a hole that is roughly the same size as the root ball of your plant.
- Step 2
Place the root ball in the ground, making sure that the base of the plant is level with the edge of the hole.
- Step 3
Fill the hole back in and gently firm the soil around the plant.
- Step 4
Follow by giving your roses a deep, thorough watering in order to establish deep root growth.
Keep the soil consistently moist for the next couple of weeks.
Pruning Tea Roses
Pruning and deadheading are essential tasks for maintaining healthy and thriving roses.
Not only do both pruning and deadheading encourage vigorous growth, but it is a preventative for common rose diseases.
Pruning ideally should be done in late winter to early spring, just before the new growth comes in.
The first step is to remove any dead, diseased, or unproductive wood, cutting it back to healthy tissue.
Next, remove any crossing or rubbing branches to improve air circulation and reduce the risk of disease.
Deadheading tea roses should be done regularly throughout the growing season.
Simply remove the spent blooms by cutting them back to the first set of healthy leaves beneath the flower.
This will prevent the plant from wasting energy on producing seeds and instead redirect that energy towards producing more blooms.
RELATED: How To Deadhead Roses (Made Simple)
Because of the hot weather and sunlight that tea roses receive, they will require plenty of water, especially during the summer months when evaporation is at its highest.
Make sure that the soil is uniformly moist, but never waterlogged.
A good rule of thumb in this situation is to wait for the first few inches of soil to dry before rehydrating your roses.
The Best Tea Roses Varieties
Pink Tea Roses
Madame Lombard Rose
Madame Lombard rose was bred by François Lacharme in France, in 1878.
| COLOR: Pink | BLOOM SIZE: Large | FRAGRANCE: None To Mild Fragrance |
| PLANT SIZE: 7ft | FLOWERING: Repeat Flowering | PREFERRED LOCATION: Full Sun |
The large, very double roses of the Madame Lombard plant have a salmon-pink coloring that is said to be most vibrant during the cooler months of fall and spring.
These roses are able to withstand zones as low as 6b, making this a good choice for gardeners who live in cooler climates but still want to enjoy tea roses.
As opposed to other roses in the tea category, the Madame Lombard rose has little to no fragrance at all.
USDA growing zone: 6b through 11.
Mrs. BR Cant Rose
The Mrs. BR Cant rose was bred by Benjamin R. Cant & Sons in United Kingdom, in 1901.
| COLOR: Deep Pink | BLOOM SIZE: Large | FRAGRANCE: Moderate Fragrance |
| PLANT SIZE: 6ft – 9ft | FLOWERING: Repeat Flowering | PREFERRED LOCATION: Full Sun |
The Mrs. BR Cant rose is a climbing tea rose, which makes this ideal for landscapes, borders, or trellises.
The rose itself has a double, cupped bloom form and the plant produces high yields of roses throughout the season.
The Mrs. BR Cant rose plant is unique in that it does not enjoy being pruned heavily.
Be mindful of this when you are trimming your plant. Only look out for any branches that require immediate attention; anything that has been previously damaged or diseased is appropriate to prune.
USDA growing zone: 7b through 9b.
Maman Cochet Rose
Maman Cochet rose was bred by Scipion Cochet in France, in 1890.
| COLOR: Light Pink | BLOOM SIZE: Very Large | FRAGRANCE: Strong Fragrance |
| PLANT SIZE: 3ft – 7ft | FLOWERING: Repeat Flowering | PREFERRED LOCATION: Full Sun |
Maman Cochet roses are large, double roses with a high-centered, rosette bloom form.
They start off pink when they first bloom, but their hue will eventually age to copper as time passes.
The Mama Cochet plant itself is dense and has an upright growth habit. This plant has the potential to grow rather tall, about 7 feet at most.
USDA growing zone: 6b through 10b.
Monsieur Tillier Rose
Monsieur Tillier rose was bred by Alexandre Bernaix in France, in 1891.
| COLOR: Carmine-Red | BLOOM SIZE: Medium | FRAGRANCE: Moderate Fragrance |
| PLANT SIZE: 6ft – 16ft | FLOWERING: Repeat Flowering | PREFERRED LOCATION: Full Sun |
The Monsieur Tillier is quite the mammoth when it comes to tea roses; it can reach a height of 16 feet tall and wide.
Despite its massive height, it is possible to prune this plant down to more manageable sizes, as this plant is tolerant of heavy pruning.
The roses of the Monsieur Tillier plant have a scalloped bloom form and produce prolific yields of roses throughout the growing season.
USDA growing zone: 6b through 9b.
Yellow Tea Roses
Etoile de Lyon Rose
Etoile de Lyon rose was bred by Jean-Baptiste André (fils) Guillot in France, in 1876.
| COLOR: Light Yellow | BLOOM SIZE: Large | FRAGRANCE: Moderate, Tea Fragrance |
| PLANT SIZE: 2ft – 6ft | FLOWERING: Repeat Flowering | PREFERRED LOCATION: Full Sun |
Etoile de Lyon roses are very double roses with a high-centered, scalloped bloom form.
When these roses bloom, they often do so in solitary, as opposed to clusters.
The plant itself is small in stature with a bushy growth habit.
Similar to the Mrs. BR Cant rose, the Etoile de Lyon does not enjoy a heavy prune.
Instead, we suggest focusing only on the parts of the rose that have already been damaged by the elements.
Any parts of the plant that are dead or have been unproductive for at least two growing cycles are fair game.
USDA growing zone: 6b through 9b.
Isabella Sprunt Rose
Isabella Sprunt rose was discovered by Rev. James M. Sprunt in the United States, in 1855.
| COLOR: Yellow | BLOOM SIZE: Large | FRAGRANCE: Strong Fragrance |
| PLANT SIZE: 2ft – 6ft | FLOWERING: Repeat Flowering | PREFERRED LOCATION: Full Sun |
The hue of the Isabella Sprunt rose changes depending on the temperature.
In the cool spring, your Isabella Sprunt roses will start off as a buttery yellow and slowly progress to white as the summer heat rolls in.
These roses are large with a semi-double bloom form.
Each rose can contain around 9 to 16 petals.
They are known for having a strong scent.
USDA growing zone: 5b and warmer.
Perle Des Jardins Rose
Perle des Jardins rose was bred by Antoine Levet in France, in 1874.
| COLOR: Light Yellow | BLOOM SIZE: Large | FRAGRANCE: Strong, Tea Fragrance |
| PLANT SIZE: 3ft – 4ft | FLOWERING: Repeat Flowering | PREFERRED LOCATION: Full Sun |
The creamy yellow blooms of the Perle des Jardins rose plant tend to ball up when they are exposed to rainy, wet conditions.
As a result, we highly suggest planting this in a climate that tends to be drier.
Perle des Jardins roses are hardy to zones 7 through 10; they prefer warm summers with short, mild winters and will require winter protection in climates that do experience frost.
USDA growing zone: 7b through 10b.
FAQs
Conclusion
Tea roses are truly a wonder with their alluring fragrance, exquisite blooms, and pastel colors. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a novice, adding a tea rose plant to your collection is a must.
By following the proper care and maintenance techniques, you can enjoy the beauty of these roses for years to come.
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