The Julia Child rose, known in the UK as the Absolutely Fabulous rose, is a golden butter or golden
floribunda rose
Floribunda (Latin for "many-flowering") is a modern cultivar group of garden roses that was developed by crossing hybrid teas with polyantha roses, the latter being derived from crosses between ''Rosa chinensis'' and '' Rosa multiflora'' (som ...
, named after the chef
Julia Child
Julia Carolyn Child (Birth name#Maiden and married names, née McWilliams; August 15, 1912 – August 13, 2004) was an American chef, author, and television personality. She is recognized for having brought French cuisine to the American pu ...
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History
This variety was bred by the American Tom Carruth in 2004.United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
, the rose was renamed after the popular TV show ''Absolutely Fabulous
''Absolutely Fabulous'' (often shortened to ''Ab Fab'') is a British television sitcom created and written by Jennifer Saunders, which premiered in 1992. It is based on the 1990 '' French and Saunders'' sketch " Modern Mother and Daughter", cr ...
''. The stock parents of this rose are ((Voodoo x ''Hybrid of R. soulieana'') x Summerwine) x Topnotch. Celebrity chef Julia Child
Julia Carolyn Child (Birth name#Maiden and married names, née McWilliams; August 15, 1912 – August 13, 2004) was an American chef, author, and television personality. She is recognized for having brought French cuisine to the American pu ...
personally chose this floribunda rose to bear her name.[Romancing the Rose in Its Infinite Splendor]
Glenn Collins, 22 June 2007, New York Times
Presentation and care
The Julia Child cultivar features golden flowers produced in clusters that repeat all season long. Flowers are medium size, full, (26–40 petals), cup shaped, and globular. The small, round bush has foliage that is bright green and glossy. The bush grows to a height of 26" to 31" (65 to 80 cm), with a spread of 20" to 26" (50 to 65 cm). It could grow larger in warmer climates. Usually climates with warmer temperatures offer the roses a longer season, thus allowing them to get much larger than they would in a shorter season. The bright green foliage makes a nice backdrop for the buttery yellow flowers. It is used in borders, garden beds, containers, and as a cut flower
Cut flowers are flowers and flower buds (often with some stem and leaf) that have been cut from the plant bearing it. It is removed from the plant for decorative use. Cut greens are leaves with or without stems added to the cut flowers for con ...
. It is a popular landscaping plant, because of its bright yellow color, disease resistance, and constant bloom.
The Julia Child rose is heat tolerant, with excellent resistance to blackspot and mildew. It is hardy (USDA zone 4a through 10a). Free-flowering, the rose is known for its old-fashioned form and sweet licorice fragrance.
Removing faded blooms ( deadheading) forces the plant to produce more flowers. Only minimal pruning is needed to maintain its shape.
Awards
The cultivar is a 2006 AARS (All American Rose Selections) winner. It was selected as ''Best of the Best'' in 2010, and won the ''Gold Star of the South Pacific'' in the 2011 New Zealand Rose Trials.
Patents
In Australia, the Julia Child rose is patented under Application No: 2009/219 since 2009. In the United States, the cultivar has a patent pending, United States-Patent No: PP 18,473, submitted on Feb. 5 2008.
References
{{Julia Child
Floribunda rose cultivars
Plants described in 2006
Products introduced in 2006