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'Souvenir d'Elise Vardon' rose Reviews & Comments
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Sustainable Rose Garden (2010)
Edited by Pat Shanley, Peter Kukielski, and Gene Waering
A Close Look at Tea Roses pp. 21-22
Lynne Chapman, Hillary Merrifield and Billy West
A Tea is in commerce around the world today as 'Souvenir d'Elise Vardon'. a rose which early colour descriptions tell us was light straw yellow or yellowish white to delicate light pink.
The rose often sold under this name seems too brightly coloured to match these descriptions, but we know that the colours of Teas can vary. So we needed more to go on, and Paquet and Rouillard provided more in the year it was introduced, describing the peduncles of 'Souvenir d'Elise Vardon' as "showing little brownish hairs along their whole length' and the receptacle also as 'sprinkled with little brownish hairs."
Glands or hairs or both, they are *not* present on the shiny, smooth pedicels of the rose sold as 'Souvenir d'Elise Vardon' today, so careful observations from the 1850s gave us proof that this rose was misidentified. But what was it? Fortunately, the same rose is also in commerce under another name, its correct name, 'Mlle Franziska Kruger', 1879 and, as well as early descriptions matching, we have the proof of identity from a colour sport, 'Blumenschmidt', which occurred in Germany and was released in 1905. Like its parent, it can show a hard green centre which occasionally contains many tiny buds. 'Blumenschmidt' is not available in Australia at the present time, so we were delighted to see fine plants at the Antique Rose Emporium in Texas.
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Many of the roses that are offered under the name 'Souvenir d'Elise Vardon' are in fact 'Mlle Franziska Kruger'.
This is a widespread error of long standing. It is likely that the rose being described by L.A. Wyatt in his article in the 1975 Rose Annual ["the broad outer petals in deep cream gently reflex at the edges while the inner petals are held in a high scroll of light salmon and fawn. Coupled with the deep purple foliage and brown wood...."] was in fact 'Mlle Franziska Kruger'.
The blooms of 'Mlle Franziska Kruger' can vary widely in colour and form, making comparisons difficult, but one characteristic seen regularly on 'Mlle F. Kruger' (and reported regularly in roses posing as 'Souv. d'Elise Vardon') is the green vegetative centre. Other stable characteristics are the mahogany stems and elongated leaflets with impressed veins.
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Reply
#1 of 5 posted
19 MAY 09 by
 Cass
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This is exactly right, Billy. I received a nice plant sold as 'Souv. d'Elise Vardon' that shared the following botanical characters with 'Mlle Franziska Kruger,' which I've grown for 5 years: foliage with a tendency to both severe leaf spot and powdery mildew; blooms a combination of light salmon pink, buff yellow and cream; vegetative centers; and mahogany-colored canes. The two plants blooms in cycle. I too believe they are the same cultivar.
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I have grown both (although I have since lost Mlle. Franzeska Krueger) and they seem different to me. The bush type is different and MFK has more orange in the bloom than SEV.
I Can't be sure though.
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Hi Billy
Although most roses sold under this name may be MFK, the green vegetative centre is also a characteristic of this rose according to an old ref.
The Rose Book (Shirley Hibberd)
Book (1864) Page(s) 57.
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Thanks John - Have you ever come across a rose said to be 'Souvenir d'Elise Vardon' that isn't 'Mlle F, Kruger' or one you believe to be the original rose?
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Not really, I've seen some variation to MFK but I reckon this is clonal variation, being grown for multi generations in different climates/soils. I have a rose that matches original descriptions. This was a misnamed tea from L'Hay that they were going to discard but early days. I have doubts about the MFK being correct too though, I would expect a much larger flower and good disease resistance. The rose in commerce isn't typical of the Nabonnands breeding. Of course, this could be a one off and the diseases inherited over time but this is enough to keep an open mind.
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Dear Matt,
Was wondering where you purchased your beauitiful Souv. D'Elise Vardon? Seems like you have a very good plant, one that perhaps isn't Mlle Franziska. Also, is there a good fragrance?
Thanks for your help, & I hope you are still enjoying this rose,
Sincerely,
Sherry, z9b, inland Bay Area, Calif.
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I received it from a tea collector in Texas. I now reside in Florida, but the plant is still in my parents garden.
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Available from - Ashdown Roses
www.ashdownroses.com
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