Cornelia

Description

What can be said about Cornelia? Cornelia has most of the attributes that delight me most in roses–nuanced color, a unique fragrance–perhaps narcissus, a charming habit of gowth, shade tolerance, health—and it’s thornless! Gregg Lowery, in his incomparable way, describes the color of Cornelia best I think, “opening dusky strawberry suffused with buff from dainty strawberry-colored buds, Cornelia often displays the tug-of-war between lavender and brown seen in such roses as Lavender Pinocchio.” Small blooms cluster artfully on a shrub that in warm climates can easily go 10′ on a structure. It can be kept much smaller. Like many other Hybrid Musks, the autumn bloom is particularly good and deeply colored. There seems to be disagreement as to how hardy Cornelia is. I would say it will grow well in Zone 6 for sure, but may, quite possibly, survive in colder climates with just a bit of care.

Introduced in 1925.