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'Bonica ®' rose Description
 Photo courtesy of Woodbury, Celeste
HMF Ratings:
21 favorite votes.
EXCELLENT- overall member rating.
ARS:
Medium pink Shrub. Registration name: MEIdomonacExhibition name: Bonica ®
Class:
Floribunda / Cluster Flowered, Shrub.
Bloom:
Pink, darker edges. None to mild fragrance. Double (17-25 petals) bloom form. Occasional repeat later in the season.
Habit:
Bushy. Small, semi-glossy, dark green foliage.
Height of 2' to 5' (60 to 150 cm). Width of 4' to 6' (120 to 185 cm).
Growing:
USDA zone 4b through 9b. Disease susceptibility: very disease resistant. Spring Pruning: Remove old canes and dead or diseased wood and cut back canes that cross. In warmer climates, cut back the remaining canes by about one-third. In colder areas, you'll probably find you'll have to prune a little more than that. Requires spring freeze protection (see glossary - Spring freeze protection) . Can be grown in the ground or in a container (container requires winter protection).
Patents:
United States - Patent No: PP 5,105 on 20 Sep 1983 VIEW USPTO PATENTApplication on 20 Jan 1982
Notes:
Bonica is a triploid according to a chromosome count by Dr. David Zlasak. See References for a finding that Bonica is tetraploid using flow cytometry.
There are apparently at least two Meilland roses named 'Bonica'. The first one, a red version, and this one, the better-known (later) pink version.
In September 1998, the Montreal Botanical Garden (Le Jardin Botanique de Montreal) carried out a survey of its roses' resistance to black spot, powdery mildew and rust. This is one of the outstanding varieties which showed a 0% to 5% infection rate. The data was taken on well-established roses.
In his garden in Norfolk, Robert Wharton, of Whartons Nurseries Ltd., reports the best rose varieties in his garden are: 'Flower Carpet Pink', 'Flower Carpet Sunshine', 'Flower Carpet White', 'The Fairy', 'Arthur Bell', 'Bonica', 'Ballerina' and 'Jacques Cartier'.
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