RHA Newsletter 8(1): 6-7 (1977)
'SEA FOAM' A BREAKTHROUGH IN ROSES
R. J. Hutton
(Reprinted from American Horticulturist)
'Sea Foam' was not an accident. It was produced by Ernest Schwartz after some very careful planning. Its parentage is 'White Dawn' x 'Pinocchio,' which is at first glance not particularly impressive. Ernie's first crosses were good but not what he hoped for—they lacked the "quality" that sets the truly distinctive roses apart from all others. And in order for a new rose to be a success, he knew it had to be better than all the rest and yet distinctively different. Ernie then sowed self-seeds and they produced several hundred plants to watch. Out of these, one had the luxuriant holly-like foliage and growth he was looking for. This seedling showed no signs of mildew or blackspot; unfortunately the blooms just were not good enough. He then crossed this seedling (for its growth and disease resistance) with the best one from the original cross (for the quality of bloom he needed) and produced 'Sea Foam.'

Though I don't have Seafoam in my garden (no room for any more roses without taking something out!), but I have planted it in several gardens and see it planted widely in my neighborhood. It certainly is a floriferous plant! It is a little late to get started blooming here (guess it takes time to make all those zillions of buds) but once it starts, it doesn't stop until December. One friend and neighbor has several planted in a sort of picket fence corral in her front garden. The sight is just magnificent -- literally hundreds (or thousands? -- I've never counted, but I wouldn't be surprised) of smallish blush white many-petalled flowers and clean, shiny foliage. Now, if Seafoam's flower's were just fragrant! All the same, this is one spectacular landscape plant. You just need the room to deal with it's rather lax growth habit.

In Texas, Seafoam is 'Earthkind.' http://earthkindroses.tamu.edu/