Roses

Family:  Rosaceae

Origin: Cultivar, no native range

The Size:  3-8 ft. tall, 2-3 ft. wide

Temperature & Humidity: Like all roses, hybrid tea roses bloom best in humidity. The ideal temperature for a rose is 80.6° F. If your summers are particularly humid, look for a mildew-resistant variety. Where summers are dry, look for hybrid tea roses with heat tolerance and vigorous root systems.

Lightning: Hybrid tea roses bloom best in full sun but will tolerate light shade. Full sun exposure improves the hybrid tea rose's bloom and general disease resistance.

The Soil: Hybrid tea roses prefer acidic soil (6.0 to 6.5 pH) rich in organic matter. You should mulch the hybrid tea rose to cool its roots and conserve water. Add a three- to four-inch layer of mulch in the spring and when removing winter protection. In warmer climates, mulch the hybrid tea rose when its leaf buds begin to swell.

Watering: 1-2 inches of water per week is usually sufficient for a hybrid tea rose, but this varies by climate and growing conditions. Hot climates and sandy soil will need more frequent watering than cool coastal regions. It's best to water your hybrid tea rose when the top three inches of soil are dry. Water the soil, not the leaves, to prevent disease, and water deeply to encourage root growth. Strong, deep roots will help your hybrid tea roses survive periods of drought.

Fertilizer: Hybrid tea roses are heavy feeders and benefit from regular applications of fertilizer. Start early spring, a month before new growth or when you remove winter protection. Continue feeding your hybrid tea rose weekly or every other week, depending on the fertilizer used. Stop fertilizing about six weeks before your first expected frost date to prevent damage to tender new growth during weather changes

Reproduction: You can grow hybrid tea roses from seeds like any rose. This process begins with stratification, in which seeds are pre-treated to simulate conditions the seeds would experience throughout winter. After this is complete and the roses are placed in a warm, humid environment, the seeds will likely sprout in two to three weeks. Remember, not all of your seeds will take. Once the roses bloom, transfer them to a pot and feed them with fertilizer.

Features of Care: As with many cultivated flowers, hybrid teas are bud grafted onto hardy, disease-resistant rootstock. Their care regimens are similar to standard roses, with a few more specific guidelines. They grow best in ample sunlight with acidic soil, and, typically, hybrid tea roses benefit from fertilization. Be sure to frequently water hybrid tea roses and provide a humid growing environment.

Dig a hole for your hybrid tea rose and spread the roots over a mound created inside the hole. Fill the hole with amended soil, packing down the soil as you go to remove any air pockets.

Difficulties: Hybrid tea roses are very disease resistant. Still, like all roses, they are susceptible to some conditions, like botrytis blight, black spot disease, and crown gall. Hybrid tea roses can attract pests like spider mites and Japanese beetles.