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'Mermaid' rose Description
'The Mermaid' rose photo
Photo courtesy of Graham, Susan Brandt
Availability:
Commercially available
Synonyms:
HMF Ratings:
70 favorite votes.  
Average rating: EXCELLENT-.  
ARS:
Light yellow Large-Flowered Climber.
Exhibition name: Mermaid
Origin:
Bred by William Paul and Son (after 1906) (United Kingdom, before 1917).
Introduced in Australia by Hazlewood Bros. Pty. Ltd. in 1923 as 'Mermaid'.
Class:
Climber, Hybrid Bracteata, Large-Flowered Climber.  
Bloom:
Light yellow, amber stamens.  Moderate fragrance.  5 petals.  Average diameter 5".  Large, single (4-8 petals) bloom form.  Continuous (perpetual) bloom throughout the season.  
Habit:
Tall, armed with thorns / prickles, climbing.  Glossy foliage.  

Height: 15' to 25' (455 to 760cm).  Width: up to 20' (up to 610cm).
Growing:
USDA zone 7b and warmer.  Can be used for garden, hedge or landscape.  Very vigorous.  shade tolerant.  Disease susceptibility: very disease resistant.  Prune lightly or not at all.  
Patents:
Patent status unknown (to HelpMeFind).
Ploidy:
Diploid
Notes:
In Victoria, BC, Canada, Mermaid starts flowering later than many roses but then flowers continuously till November

For more information about parentage, see References.
In his garden in Tyler, Texas, Mark Chamblee, of Chamblee's Rose Nursery, grows 'Belinda's Dream', 'Marie Daly', 'Marie Pavie', 'Livin' Easy', 'Easy Going', 'Knockout', and 'Mermaid'. Mark likes these varieties because "they have great hardiness and disease resistance, they are low maintenance and are very free blooming."


An unusual use for 'Mermaid' which may not have occurred to you before -- received via email: This rose is very useful as a vandal deterrent. I live in an inner city cottage and I not infrequently had my letterbox mugged and my picket fence ravaged. My peonies were picked and my sunflowers stripped of their heads. Now 'Mermaid' sprawls and twines through the agapanthus blue pickets delighting the eye, scenting the street and wounding the unworthy. We plan more such organic deterrents round the windows and doors.

Further comment, at Government House in Victoria BC Canada we had a 'Mermaid' growing over a section of glaciated bed rock. The old method of growing roses over rock continues here with screws set in the rock and wires to tie the roses down to. In its first summer 'Mermaid' went from 18 inches to 15 feet. The result of good soil, adequate water and the heat from the rock. Victoria is on the climatic edge for 'Mermaid', is does not do well in Vancouver BC. Government House also has Rosa bracteata, a 'Mermaid' parent, which is even more effective as a vandal deterrent.

 
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