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nippstress

Is this "Sophisticate"?

Now that the Rogue Valley mystery roses are finally blooming I have a chance to guess which ones they are. It's easier than guessing a random rose, since it has to be something they sell in their product line. They almost always send the same rose for all my mystery plants, but this time I think two of the six are a different rose.

Anyway, the first one that bloomed is a single, and Rogue Valley has several pinkish singles, but with the point on the center of the petals this sure looks like Sophisticate. Any opinions?

Cynthia

Comments (7)

  • seil zone 6b MI
    10 years ago

    It sure looks just like the pictures of Sophistacate on HMF. Even the leaves look right.

  • nancylee2
    10 years ago

    My mystery rose from RVR is also blooming and looks quite similar. One of the two blooms had some light yellow in the center. Both buds were apricot colored then opened to the light pink blend. As the first ages it turns a darker pink, almost cerise. Little to no scent, but it is still very young. I thought Sophisticate was the most likely choice as well.

  • nippstress - zone 5 Nebraska
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thanks for chiming in folks - I'm pretty bad at rose ID even within my own yard, so I appreciate the shared opinions on this rose. Nancylee, it's good to hear that your mystery rose from RVR may also be solved here. I wonder how the mystery roses come about at RVR, particularly when they're so often identical within a given year, and I suppose it may be a full flat of the same rose propagated that has lost its tags. Regardless, it's fun to have an excuse to try something unanticipated and different.

    Cynthia

  • ratdogheads z5b NH
    10 years ago

    So, you're saying that typically the mystery roses they send to everyone turn out to be mostly the same? This is the first year I've ordered from them. Mine has no sign of buds at all yet, I'm completely clueless.

  • nippstress - zone 5 Nebraska
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    ratdogheads, I don't know if RVR has a system, and I only have been ordering their mystery roses for 2 or 3 years. Last year, all 6 mystery roses I got were a hybrid musk that I think is Robin Hood, the year before they all were a Rookie mini. This year, I have 6 mystery plants, and 4 of them have similar enough foliage and growth habits to suspect they're also Sophisticate. The other two have much larger and darker green leaves, so I'm sure I'll be posting again to see what that rose turns out to be once it blooms.

    Bottom line is that if you have one of their mystery roses and it has blooms that look like this picture, Sophisticate sounds like a reasonable label. If not, you may want to do the same and post a picture for help with ID. You won't know till it blooms, and that's part of the fun of the mystery roses. I keep mine in pots until they bloom so I know where to put them or what to recommend if I give them away, but since I'm perfectly dreadful at maintaining pots for very long they'd better bloom fast!

    Cynthia

  • roseybluemoon
    10 years ago

    I have 12 free roses this year from RVR. All but 2 of them have significantly different foliage. Of those that have bloomed, one looks identical to the posted photo. I also identified it as Sophisticate. Mine had a mild, sweet scent. Weather was high 80's. Five petals and mostly 7 leaflet leaves. I also have one identified as Fellemberg and another as Angels Mateau. Two are different Gallicas. One looks identical to RVR's "Carol's Favorite Gallica", the other was similar to Gertrude Jekyll blooms when fully opened but with a darker reverse and dark purple guard petals.

  • nippstress - zone 5 Nebraska
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thanks so much for chiming in with your IDs from RVR, roseybluemoon! I've looked up the roses you mention from your mystery batch and it'll save me on additional questions if it turns out to be any of those you mention. I can't say that I've ever gotten a Noisette or Tea mystery rose from RVR, so it's possible that they send those likely candidates off to warmer zones than mine. I'd be pleased if any of these roses turn out to be Angels Mateau, though I've had poor track records with overwintering Dot roses.

    Good to know there are a variety of mystery roses possible each year - that adds to the fun of the process!

    Cynthia