Bourbons

Kronprinzessin Viktoria

Souvenir de la Malmaison

Comtesse de Barbantane

Catherine Guillot

Champion of the World

Commandant Beaurepaire

Originally this was a group based on a cross between the Autumn Damask (Rosa damascena × bifera) and a China rose. The Damask influence carried on through the early Bourbon roses, but in time the class became difficult to distinguish from Hybrid Perpetuals, on the one hand and Hybrid Teas on the other. Excellent autumnal bloomers and as a group quite fragrant.

Given the complexity of parentage in the Bourbons it is not surprising that they display four different habits of growth.

(E.g., Reine Victoria) Lithe of cane, quite bushy and large, up to 6′ tall, and tending to spread outward. [B #2]
(E.g., Souvenir de la Malmaison) Very short and compact; behaves more like a Floribunda than a typical Bourbon. [B #1]
(E.g., Mme. Isaac Pereire) Long basal canes and short flowering laterals. [B #3]
(E.g., Eugène Desgaches) Intermediate type between 2 and 3, the canes stout but upright and spreading.[B #4]

Brackets refer to Explanatory Information page.
Bourbon roses original Book of Roses pages: VCG_Bourbons.pdf

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About TFoVR

TFoVR owns and maintains the historic roses in our collection, currently located in Sebastopol, California, about 50 miles north of San Francisco. Rosarians world-wide consider the collection to be one of the most comprehensive multiple-class collections of old roses ever assembled. Of particular note — the Hybrid Perpetuals, Bourbons, Gallicas, Hybrid Chinas, Teas, Noisettes and Chinas — are among the most complete in North America and the old Hybrid Teas include an extensive group of Pernetianas.