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molineux_gw

Tell me about Prosperity (hybrid musk, 1919)

Molineux
9 years ago

I've had my eye on this cultivar for years as a possible candidate for a white landscape rose. I remember a woman named Lynnette who used to post a lot here back in the day (and who hosted a wonderful website called The Old Rosarian) absolutely loved it. Of course ICEBERG seems to be the most common white landscape rose but here in the Mid-Atlantic it is a black spot disaster even with spraying. PROSPERITY on the other hand is recommended in several of my rose gardening books (The Organic Rose Garden by Liz Druitt for example). So I was wondering what people's experiences with this classic Hybrid Musk have been like: growth habit, disease resistance, repeat bloom, beauty of flower, fragrance, degree of thorniness, hardiness? Everybody's opinion is welcome as I think it will add to the discussion to learn how Prosperity performs across many U.S. regions.

Image of Prosperity by Lazaro-FL-10 at the Hortiplex database.

Comments (10)

  • buford
    9 years ago

    I had some cuttings from a neighbor here in N. Georgia, but they didn't take. She said it did well in her yard, she was growing it as a climber. I hope to get more cuttings from her.

  • kater17
    9 years ago

    Oooh! I shall enjoy following this thread because I just bought one at my local garden center right before I joined this forum. Then I thought, oh no! I'm supposed to be concentrating on Teas, Chinas and Noisettes in my area! Well mine has been in the ground 2 weeks and already has put on LOTS of growth and is happy! I'm going to grow it as an arching shrub...so we will see what happens, but I love the shape of it already.

  • dublinbay z6 (KS)
    9 years ago

    Don't know if it will help, but I grew a sport (at least I think it's a sport) of Prosperity--Pink Prosperity--for a number of years, until RRD took it. I grew it as a free-standing, arching shrub. It had lovely blooms, but I don't remember that it was a strong re-bloomer, though it did bloom again later in the season. I also can remember no problems with BS or so little that it wasn't worth paying much attention to. When it was about 5 years old, it was about 4-5 ft tall and a bit wider. Fragrance and thorniness I do not remember. No hardiness problems here in Zone 6.

    Pink Prosperity
    {{gwi:288157}}

    I think the main reason I didn't plant another Pink Prosperity was because of the less than vigorous re-bloom.

    Hope that was some help.

    Kate

  • bluegirl_gw
    9 years ago

    I planted one in full sun on blackland prairie of zone 8 TX & it was a fine plant. Dense cane growth that began to arch at about 3', healthy leaves (no spray situation), absolutely covered itself with blooms in late spring (I wasn't able to view this plant later in the year, so can't comment re. rebloom).

    The buds were flushed with a salmon color on the outside petals then opened to creamy, almost pompom flowers, like the photo. There wasn't a strong scent carrying out of the blooms, but they smelled very sweet when you stuck your nose in them.

    Here in desert zn 8 TX, I just got a band from Burling this spring. I already had to re-pot into a 7 gallon & it's climbing out of the pot. Has thrown some nice strong canes & bloomed, but I haven't observed it long enough to comment. Looks very healthy & I expect great things this fall & in spring.

  • cath41
    9 years ago

    I have had it 5-10 years on a steep hill in shade in the early morning and from mid afternoon on, so sun mid dayish. Roses do not grow particularly well here. Prosperity is remarkable for having prospered. Penelope which is right next to it is a (small) one cane wonder that is in a perpetual final swoon. Prosperity has slowly gained ground and by last summer had some six foot, or more, canes. Our polar vortex winter cut her to within a foot of the ground. Before that she had not lost significant wood over winter. She has two decent flushes, one in spring and one in fall around September. She may have some black spot but I do not really notice it so it cannot be that bad. My Prosperity's flowers are less full than those pictured, always showing the stamens. All in all, I would say that she is a healthy, reliable, shade tolerant, self sufficient rose with lovely, if not stunning, flowers. And I like her.

    Cath

  • malcolm_manners
    9 years ago

    In Lakeland Florida, we've grown it for many years, climbing on an 8-foot arbor. It covers well. We do spray the garden, so I'm not sure how disease-prone it might be with no spray at all, but I certainly never had a problem with it. For us, it repeats nearly continuously throughout the season, although the spring flush is certainly the largest. Now that we have the new garden at the college, we've put one on the big central arbor, and it's really taking off. I like this rose a lot.

  • saldut
    9 years ago

    I have a Prosperity, on fort. from FSC, and am no-spray... This rose is spectacular to say the least, it just goes on-and-on and no BS, also chili-thrips don't bother it, most of my other roses have the CTs to some degree but Prosperity is clean...sally

  • luxrosa
    9 years ago

    Prosperity' 1919, Pemberton
    an Old Garden Tea Hybrid;
    Perle des Jardin (Tea) x Marie Jeanne (Polyantha). It has large substantial blooms for a H.M.., moderate to strong scent depending on conditions. It has a wonderful spicy floral scent.

    I liked Prosperity's dark green foliage and the bloom fragrance was glorious in type and strength. I only got rid of mine because the blooms appeared too modern for my garden at the time, and the foliage had a bit too much blackspot than I usually tolerate in my no-spray garden. If I had a larger property I might grow it again.

    Lux.

  • Molineux
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Believe it or not Erasmus, I like your Prosperity better. The ruffled petals frame the golden stamens beautifully.