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Rose "Hot Chocolate"

AnniDAnniD Posts: 11,442
I saw this displayed at Chatsworth a couple of years ago and liked it's unusual colour. Just wondered if anyone has grown it, and how it performed? 

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  • MarlorenaMarlorena Posts: 7,920
    @AnniD

    I've not grown this one, but let me say that it's bred by one of my favourite American rose breeders Tom Carruth, and from what I gather, a very nice man too..  

    This rose grows tall and upright, vase shaped... reported to have the scent of cinnamon...  perhaps the drawback is that it's very thorny with numerous large thorns, but don't let that put you off... by all accounts, a striking rose with good foliage..  very American, very hot coloured... a stand out... but you've got to appreciate that with this rose...

    I have another one of his called 'Absolutely Fabulous'.. and it truly is that...  I would also like his 'Royal Celebration'.. and some of his greats like 'Ebb Tide'.. 'Twilight Zone'.. 'Midnight Blue'... 'Scentimental'.. and 'Night Owl'.. to name a few...

    all great roses !...  best of luck with your choices Anni.. !..


    East Anglia, England
  • Here's mine from last summer AnniD, if it helps:

    It's mixed in with an orange lychnis here, perhaps not the best colour choices in front of my house bricks ;)

    Night Owl is one of the new roses I bought last autumn, didn't realise it had the same breeder.
    Wearside, England.
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 11,442
    Thank you both. I think l will get one ! It will be away from any areas of "traffic", so the thorns shouldn't be an issue. 
  • GartenerGartener Posts: 99
    I have it for a couple of years and it’s actually doing Ok. Not much black spot and the growth is upright. The colour is indeed very interesting but i dont think it has much fragrance.

    All in all a good rose if you want something different from the usual colours.
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 11,442
    I am getting a few roses with good scent - l am a bit pushed for space so l can't get very many. This one just caught my eye because of it's unusual colour  :)
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 29,160
    I grew it in my last garden in Belgium.  Took a year or two to settle in but then winters are more extreme than in the K.  It has fabulous colour and good form but absolutely no perfume. 

    Should have done more research cos I don't see the point of a rose with no scent when there are so many that do.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
  • I planted a bare root Rose Hot Chocolate just last month: twice as the dog tried to dig it up and eat it thorns not withstanding (it is now protected). We will see how it gets on assuming the dog did not do for it entirely.
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 11,442
    Luckily l don't have a dog to try and eat it ! 
    Obelixx,  l take your point about the perfume, but as l posted, l do have roses to be planted that have good scent, this one is just for the colour. 
  • I could have sworn my HC was scented, will have to give it a check-sniff this summer :)
    Wearside, England.
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