Book  (1983)  Page(s) 151.  
 
May Queen (1898). A very useful rambler as a groundcover, shrub or climber. It has medium-sized lilac-pink semi-double flat and very fragrant flowers and has a profuse annual flowering with some repeat bloom. A lusty grower with attractive dark foliage, it grows to 5 metres.

Website/Catalog  (1982)  Page(s) 25.  
 
May Queen (Rambler) Free flowering, semi-double flowers of lilac pink on a healthy, well foliated plant. A useful rose, could well be used for ground cover. 1898 G. Shade tolerant. (R) 10 x 8’.

Book  (1981)  Page(s) 191.  
 
May Queen (Rambler), Manda, New Jersey, USA 1898. R. wichuraiana x ‘Champion of the World’, (Bourbon). Prolific growth, somewhat more bushy than others of the ‘Alberic Barbier’ group, making dense ground cover. Leaves soft green. Flowers 3 in. across well filled with quartered petals, and often with button eye; rose pink developing a lilac tint. Green wood with few reddish prickles, 15 ft. Midsummer. Sweet fragrance.
Note: Van Fleet sent over a hybrid of similar parentage and under the same name, but the plant described is almost certainly Manda’s ‘May Queen’.

Book  (1978)  Page(s) 166.  
 
May Queen. Climber. Pink. Early summer. P3. H2. * A charming rose, of restrained growth for the class; the small pink flowers open fully double to show the old fashioned quartered form in a neat way. This is perhaps the result of marrying R. wichuraiana to the Bourbon pollen of ‘Champion of the World’. Raised by W. A. Manda, and introduced in 1898; in that year another ‘May Queen’ came from Conard & Jones, who later changed their name to the Conard-Pyle Co. Two ‘May Queen's have caused some confusion, but the difference in the contemporary descriptions appears to be that Conard & Jones’ version was not so double, had a white centre, and was more prostrate.

Website/Catalog  (1969)  Page(s) 40.  
 
May Queen (W), 1898). A fine strong grower with shiny foliage and masses of exquisite warm pink flowers, 3-4 in. across. Deliciously scented. Can be used on walls, even in a north aspect, owing to the disease-resistant foliage. 15ft.

Book  (1965)  
 
p402 The first R. wichuraiana variety to appear was May Queen in 1899. It was a strong grower and of such hardiness as to make it suitable for planting against a north wall. Its warm-pink flowers carry a delicious perfume, but of greater importance was its healthy mildew-resistant foliage, which was a great improvement on that of the species. With 'May Queen' appeared' Evergreen Gem' and 'Jersey Beauty', the latter still in commerce...

p425. 'May Queen'. 1899. The first R. wichuraiana rambler, and a most vigorous grower with glossy, disease-free foliage, which makes it suitable for a wall. The flowers are large and of a lovely shade of warm pink, deliciously perfumed.

p432. Rambler roses with attractive foliage: 'May Queen'

p432. Rambler roses with strongly fragrant flowers: 'May Queen'

p581. 'May Queen' R. wichuraiana. 20 ft.

Book  (1955)  Page(s) 49.  
 
May Queen (1898). HW. Lilac -pink, semidouble, short stemmed, 3-inch flowers in garland effect. This will do well in almost complete shade provided this is open as on the north side of a house. Good glossy foliage. Plant grows to at least 30 feet and tends to bloom all season. On West Coast does so after a great May profusion. Strong, sweet fragrance.

Book  (1936)  Page(s) 466.  
 
May Queen (hybrid wichurana) Dr. van Fleet 1898; R. wich. X Mrs. de Graw; glossy coral-pink, large, well double, flat, in clusters of 5-20, floriferous, free-blooming, growth 7/10, climbing, 2,50 m. Sangerhausen

Book  (1933)  
 
p195. May Queen A. Manda, 1899. Wichuraiana with fairly large, double coral-pink flowers. A second rose by the same name, originated by Dr. W. Van Fleet, was put out by Conard & Jones Co. in 1911. Its description is the same. Evidently they are hopelessly mixed, but see 'Ruby Queen'.

p212 'Ruby Queen'. Dr. W. Van Fleet, 1899* One of the oldest Wichuraianas. Rather large, double, ruby-red flowers with white centers. Valuable only as a curiosity.

Footnote to page 212: *This date and the similarity of names leads me to believe that Van Fleet introduced 'May Queen' (q.v.) at the same time. If so the Manda record may be an error.

Book  (1930)  Page(s) 396.  
 
May Queen. (Conrad & Jones Co. 1899.) Hybrid Wichurana.
Bloom 6 cm across, densely filled, soft pink, fragrant, in loose trusses. Vigorous shrub, beautiful glossy green foliage, blooms extraordinarily abundant for several weeks in June. Beautiful rose, suitable for espaliers, hedges, pillars and pyramids.