This one is stunning, with hot pink to reddish, delightfully floppy large flowers against deep purple new foliage. Lots of visual kick, even from afar. Slender, widely spreading branches give an airy-fairy effect at least as a young plant. Stamens 'brown out' quickly like the Mutabilis parent, but the plant is excellent otherwise. Sometimes no scent, sometimes a light scent of sweet violets.
OK, I'm thinking of getting Chireno from Chamblees, as I love single roses. How is the health of this rose? We have really wicked blackspot in our humid summers here in Richmond Virginia and just because both parents of this rose are Earthkind designated roses doesn't mean I should not inquire. I can live with up to 20% defoliation, which I consider disease tolerant, if it has the vigor to deal with some blackspot. Also what are some realistic dimensions for a mature bush. I find dimensions are usually understated for most roses, but I like my roses BIG! I don't like to have to bend too much to admire the flowers. I'm thinking of pairing this rose with Ballerina behind it and Lavender Dream off to the side.....it makes a pleasing picture in my mind,
Bob, I hope someone who grows this rose in a hot humid climate responds. Considering the breeding alone, I'd expect it to be okay. Chireno is disease-free here in Northern California, where the only blackspot we see is in susceptible varieties. Blackspot is otherwise completely absent, rust and powdery mildew being our big problems. Chireno is a nice vigorous plant with beautiful dark, dark green foliage and large ruffled blooms. Mine is paired with Mutabalis and Bengal Fire.
I purchased Chireno last spring from Chamblees. It is still getting established but had no diseases last year. I have a no spray garden and usually add compost to fertilize my rose bushes. It is already 4'x4' in one season. I checked it today and didn't see any dieback of the canes. This is in a zone 5/6 garden in Lincoln, NE which is hot and steamy during the summer. We can also have cool nights which makes blackspot even worse. So far this rose has been a winner. Karen
Oh yeah...I'm definitely zone 4. My garden is on top of a hill with little mature tree protection and in the country, so lots of wind with nothing to stop it. My Chireno is on the southeast side of a 10 ft tall pine. Last winter we had below zero temps and the last few years it seems we don't really get much snow until late winter/early spring. (Don't read that wrong...we almost always have an inch or two of snow but nothing that will be enough to act as an insulator from the wind until mid to late Jan and even that isn't always reliable).
