(518)  Page(s) 133.  
 
Antique Roses for the South (2005) p. 133
William C. Welch
'Basye's Purple Rose' is a cross between R. foliolosa (native to Arkansas) and R. rugosa (native to Japan). It was bred by Dr. Robert Basye, a retired university professor and active rose breeder from Caldwell, Texas, in his search for hardy, drought tolerant, disease resistant cultivars. 'Basye's Purple Rose' met all these criteria, but he rejected it as a "jewel in the rough." The ravishingly fragrant, large, single flowers appear in profusion during the spring on a large, healthy shrub. Dr. Basye considers this rose to be a truly unusual color: royal purple with prominent gold stamens. When grown on its own roots it does sucker and can spread rather rapidly. It was given to me by Dr. Basye in 1983. I gave stock material to the Antique Rose Emporium at Brenham, Texas, where it has been propagated and distributed. Like most roses having R. rugosa parentage, it prefers a neutral to slightly acid soil.