Marie Pavie

"Pope John Paul II" Very Fragrant, pure white, good disease resistance and almost thornless.

Patrick

I second Marie Pavie, though it does get some black spot in my no spray garden. But if you want something with larger flowers, Iceberg, although I haven't had it for a few years, if I remember right, it doesn't have that many thorns, but it's not thornless

Good low-thorn whites by size:

Small: Marie Pavie (polyantha)
Medium: Iceberg (floribunda)
Medium to Large: Ducher (antique china rose)

None of these are 100% thornless, but are much, much less thorny than the average rose.

Randy

What state you live in and do you plan to spray? Here in Maryland, zone 6b/7a, both Iceberg and Marie Pavie get naked from BS w/o spray. Iceberg can be VERY big in zone 7. At least my Iceberg was always 7x7 feet by mid summer after heavy pruning each spring. Ducher is much more resistant to BS then other two (less then 40-50% leaf loss), but have problems with hardiness. I lost already 2 Duchers to our winters, but my zone is 6b, hopefully zone 7 will be OK.
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Olga

My goodness.

What are you feeding your roses Olga? Even in Southern California, I have not seen Iceberg this big and full. I also recall your Ab. Darby is a giant. So it is either your water or your fertilizer, or perhaps your wonderfully green thumb.

Good for you.

Green with envy,
FJ

I'll second Iceberg and Pope John Paul II.

Bolero works for me -shiny dark green leaves, disease resistant, 3-4 ft high and wide. The most beautiful and fragrant white blooms. Blooms pretty regularly. Good for cut flowers too. I can only say good things about this rose. Its thorns have not bothered me.
{{gwi:348402}}

What about Maitland White? I don't recall it having many thorns.

Robert

Hi. Thanks for all the suggestions. I do live in MD and am looking for something to replace Arctic Sunrise, an unusual shrub rose that leaves from neighbor's yards are smoothing, and trying to remove them in cold weather is damaging the bushes. Thanks again!

If you are in MD, I don't think there is a rose that fits your requirements unless you are going to spray. There are healthy ones with thorns, but thornless, no:), at least I am not aware of such miracle. MD has very high Black Spot pressure, choices of roses that will stay healthy here are limited and I am not aware of white thornless roses among them, unless you are OK with oncebloomers. Do you insist on repeat or spring blooming variety will also work?
Olga

So Olga, which white one is the picture of?? I probably missed where you said which one it was. Was thinking maybe the Ducher one. Anyways its gorgeous. Thanks, Judy

Judy, this is Iceberg. Ducher here is much smaller bush.
Olga

Rose Marie (a sport of Heritage) is another thornless white.

A VERY healthy white (with some blush pink in the center) that I would recommend is Glacier Magic. This may be a bit thorny. It's a very low grower for me. It may be a floribunda. It always gets loads of attention from visitors. I bought it a couple of years ago from a local nursery on clearance. It had dark glossy green leaves when most other roses were leafless. I don't know why this rose is not more widely known.

Robert

Hi Olga, that is a beautiful and healthy Iceberg. I am with wanttogarden. May I too ask how you get your roses to grow like that; especially Iceberg? I gave up on Abe Darby; it does not like the heat in my garden.

Lynn

This post was edited by desertgarden561 on Mon, Aug 19, 13 at 11:14