Sombreuil (Colonial White)

Description

Sombreuil is one of the very best creamy white climbers that we offer.  It is very frequently reblooming, very fragrant, shade tolerant and drought resistant.  Here in our dry, hot summers, it is disease resistant as well.  In short this is a wonderful, wonderful rose, vigorous, and adaptable.  Sombreuil was introduced in 1940, overseas, by an unknown person or business. Parentage:  New Dawn X Mme. Hardy.  It is a Large Flowered Climber.

Two Confusions exist in regard to this rose:

Sombreuil should not be mistaken for the Tea rose, Mlle. de Sombreuil (also available at RVR). This confusion has, in the past, often caused Sombreuil to be listed as a Climbing Tea.

The other confusion is that Sombrueil is in fact Colonial White.  This confusion is due to the fact that Sombreuil was introduced and marketed in the US in 1959 as Colonial White by Melvin E. Wyant, Rose Specialist.

The ARS, in 2006, cleared these identity issues.  As stated above, there is now agreement that this rose is the Large Flowered Climber introduced in 1940, by unknown sources, as Sombreuil.

At any rate, this is a lovely rose with very double (60 petals) large, creamy white, flat flowers. When opening the blooms are slightly cupped and touched with soft blush at the center. The foliage is dark and full. Canes are very trainable for pillars, a small arbor, or along a fence. 8′ to 13′. Sombreuil has very fragrant, frequent, reliable rebloom.

Photo copyright Paul Barden 2009.

Introduced in 1940, in the US in 1959 as Colonial White.