Rose Blueberry Hill

The unusually colored Blueberry Hill floribunda rose is capable of becoming the real queen of any garden. Its rich aroma and delicate beauty attract the attention of keen collectors. The variety is quite thermophilic, but it takes root well in Russian conditions, both in greenhouses and in the open field.

Blueberry Hill is a rose of American selection. In 1997, it was introduced by the Tom Carruth hybridizer. When breeding, the hybrid tea variety Cristallin and Playgirl floribunda was used. In 2002, in Portland, Blueberry Hill received a gold medal at a specialized exhibition.

This rose forms highly decorative, dense, rounded shrubs. Shoots are erect, well branched. The average height of the bush varies from 90 to 130 cm, the width is 60-90 cm. There are almost no thorns on the shoots. The leaves are large, dark green, with semi-glossy plates.

The flowers of the Blueberry Hill rose are large, 7-8 cm in diameter, collected in flat or cupped inflorescences. The main color is lilac, turning into a delicate lavender. The flowers are semi-double, with 12-15 petals. Its aroma is of medium intensity, with clear fruity-apple notes, pronounced sweetness.

Blueberry Hill attracts attention not only for the spectacular color of the flowers. The variety is distinguished by very good resistance to rain, flowers do not lose their decorative effect during periods of precipitation. Other advantages of the plant include resistance to the influence of external factors, fast rooting, minimal maintenance needs. The variety looks good in bouquets and garden plantings. The bushes are easy to prune due to the minimum number of thorns.

The cons are also obvious. The disadvantage of this rose is the short duration of the flowering waves, their heterogeneity, the slow development of the bush in the shade.

The buds on the bushes are formed abundantly, from July to October. The flowering is undulating.

Blueberry Hill finds a wide variety of uses in landscape design. It can be used to form hedges, as well as frame houses and gazebos with them. It fits well into the composition of the alpine slides. Surrounded by a green lawn with lush grass, such a rose looks very impressive even in a solo planting, turning into a bright element of garden design.

It is best adapted to the mild oceanic climate of the California coast. In Russia, it takes root well in the south. May require constant thermoregulation in temperate climates, but can also be grown outdoors.

It is better to place the Blueberry Hill rose in a sunny, lit area for most of the day. The variety takes root well in spring planting, from the 2nd decade of May to the beginning of June. In the south, it is practiced to transfer the seedling to a permanent place in the fall, until mid-October. The soil of this rose needs loose and nutritious, with the addition of peat, sand, humus and a small proportion of clay. A pit is dug 50 × 50 cm in size.

Before planting, it will be useful to prepare seedlings by shortening the roots to 300 mm and shoots to 40 cm. After that, the plant with an open root system is sent to a growth stimulator for 24 hours. At the same time, the hole is spilled with water, filled with soil by 2/3. The next day, a rose is planted, with the grafting site placed 2 cm above the edge of the fossa.

The basic rule of caring for a Blueberry Hill rose is regular repetition of actions. It is important to systematically monitor the condition of the soil in the root zone, cut off faded corollas, and remove fallen leaves.

Roses of this variety require irrigation on a regular basis, at intervals of 3-7 days, taking into account precipitation. It does not tolerate drought well. In the fall, watering is reduced.

Top dressing is especially important in the spring, after the buds have awakened. During this period, a liquid mullein solution is introduced under the root, with a repetition after 14 days. With the onset of flowering, the plant is regularly fertilized with potassium-phosphorus mixtures.

The rose bush requires annual spring pruning. It rejuvenates the rose, helps to cut off non-viable branches. At the same time, the formation of the bush is carried out, the thinning of the crown. Long and abundant flowering will provide an average pruning with shortening of shoots to 4-6 eyes, complete removal of stems older than 2 years.

At the end of autumn, another procedure is performed. Before the onset of cold weather, all shoots are shortened by 40 cm.

This variety is very frost-resistant, belongs to the 5th zone of the USDA for this indicator. Shelter for the winter in open ground requires mainly in cold climatic zones with average winter temperatures below -23 degrees Celsius.

Rose Blueberry Hill has high immunity. Black spot and powdery mildew is practically not affected. If there are signs of fungus due to too much watering, you can treat with copper-containing fungicides. Among insect pests, the danger is spider mites, aphids.

New seedlings are obtained mainly in a vegetative way, by cuttings.

The Blueberry Hill rose variety finds fans all over the world, but in Russian conditions it is considered an exotic guest. According to happy owners, he feels best in regions with humid and warm winters, close to the conditions of his native California. Plants are highly valued for their pleasant fresh aroma, attractive cut appearance. Of particular interest is the color of the petals, which varies from lavender to almost blue, depending on the lighting, weather conditions, and the presence of shade.

Gardeners note that the first bloom is always brighter. Repeated periods of budding are less lush, the buds may be smaller.

The main disadvantage of this rose is its thermophilicity, the need for careful preparation for winter. In addition, without pruning, the flowering will be far from lush and abundant.