Gardener's Monthly and Horticulturist (September 1880) 259-260

Noisette Roses, Or Champney Roses.
Rosa Noisettiana, or Rosa Champneyana, or Rosa Moschata Hybrida.

The Noisette Rose is a product of America, and obtains its name from Philippe Noisette, a florist of Charleston, South Carolina.

John Champney, of Charleston, from the seed of the White Musk Rose, fertilized by the Blush China, raised a variety which was called Champney's Pink Cluster. A few years after this, Philippe Noisette, from the seed of Champney's Pink Cluster, raised the Blush Noisette, and this he sent to his brother, Louis Noisette, of Paris, under the name of Noisette Rose. The true name, therefore, for this class, should be the Champney, but the change cannot now be made.

This group is naturally of vigorous growth, nearly hardy, and produces large clusters of flowers; but, through hybridization with the Tea section, the original characteristics have, in part, disappeared. The varieties now generally grown, are less hardy and have nearly lost the clustering tendency; but the flowers have much more substance, and are far more beautiful.

America (Professor C. G. Page, of Washington, D. C; sent out by Thomas G. Ward, 1859). Growth vigorous; flowers large, creamy yellow, with a salmon tinge; a cross from Solfaterre and Safrano.

Beauty of Greenmount (James Pentland, of Baltimore, 1854). Rosy red.

Champney's Pink Cluster (John Champney). Very vigorous; flowers pink, semi-double.

Cinderella (C. G. Page, 1859). Rosy crimson.

Dr. Kane (Pentland, 1856). Growth free; flowers large, sulphur yellow; a shy bloomer on young plants: in the South it is highly esteemed.

Isabella Gray (Andrew Gray, of Charleston, South Carolina, 1854). Growth free; flowers large, golden yellow, full and fragrant; on young plants it does not flower fully, and often opens badly; a seedling from Cloth of Gold.

Nasalina (A. Cook, 1872). "Of vigorous growth; flowers pink, of flat form, very fragrant; a seedling from Desprez.''

Tuseneltea (Anthony Cook of Baltimore, 1860). "Pale yellow; a seedling from Solfaterre."

Woodland Marguerite (J. Pentland, 1859). Growth vigorous; flowers pure white, freely produced.

There have been other American varieties of this class, but I am only certain of those above named. We hope our Southern Rosarians will introduce some new types and colors of Noisettes; almost the only ones of value we now have, are shades of yellow and white. In the South many Noisettes seed freely, and great improvements might, easily be made, by resorting to manual fecundation I see nothing to prevent the obtaining of the same shades among the Noisettes that we have among the Hybrid Perpetuals.

Manual of Roses (1846)
By William Robert Prince
THE NOISETTE OR CHAMPNEY ROSE.
Rosa Champneyana.

Perhaps no new roses ever excited more attention than the two varieties which were first produced of this interesting family. When first received in France, the Parisian amateurs were enraptured with it, its habits being so peculiar and distinct from every other class. The origin of the first varieties of this remarkable group, has been announced erroneously to the world by various writers, arising first, from the want of candor on the part of the late Philippe Noisette of Charleston, when he transmitted the plants to Paris; and, secondly, from the ignorance of those who have discussed the subject. The original variety is the Champney Rose, or Champney's Pink Cluster, a rose long well known and very widely diffused. It was raised from seed by the late John Champney, Esq., of Charleston, S. C, an eminent and most liberal votary of Flora, from the seed of the White Musk Rose, or Rosa Moschata, fertilized by the old Blush China, and as he had been for a long period in constant correspondence with the late William Prince, he most kindly presented him with two tubs, each containing six plants, grown from cuttings of the original plant. From these an immense number were propagated and sent to England and France. The old Blush Noisette Rose was raised a few years after by Philippe Noisette, of Charleston, from the seed of the Champney Rose, and this he sent to his brother Louis Noisette of Paris, under the name of the Noisette Rose. It is more double than its parent, and of much more dwarf and compact growth; the flowers in very large dense panicles. The old Champney's Pink Cluster, although not full double, is still quite a favorite for its rapid growth, its appropriateness for pillars and other climbing positions, and for the profusion of its flowers which are in very large panicles much more diffuse than the preceding variety. The subsequent varieties have been produced from both the primitive ones I have named, but as the Champney rose produces seeds far more abundantly than the Blush Noisette, it has doubtless been the parent of much the greatest number.

To develope the beauties and admirable qualities of the Noisette Roses, proper attention must be paid to their culture; the soil must be warm, dry at the bottom, and well mellowed and enriched with old well-rotted manure, or black mould from the woods to the depth of two feet; they will not flourish in a wet soil, and if the location is either a wet or heavy soil, a quantity of sand must be mixed with it sufficient to lighten it, and render it completely permeable so as to allow of the free passage of all rains through it.

History of the Rose (1954)
Roy E. Shepherd

We may assume that the pollen parent of Champneys' Pink Cluster was R. moschata, as it is described as being the "smooth and shining leaved musk cluster rose." It was widely distributed in 1811 when John Champneys planted the seed that produced the first Noisette. There is considerable doubt as to whether this seed was the result of hand pollination, but the characters of Champneys' Pink Cluster denote that it is a combination of two popular roses of that time, Old Blush Monthly Rose (R. chinensis) and R. moschata.