Rosa Pauls Scarlet Climber

Rosa 'Paul's Scarlet Climber' is one of the brightest and most popular climbing roses since its introduction in 1916. Although it only blooms once, in May-June, it does so with incomparable generosity and in a cherry-red colour as vibrant as it is charming. Its subtly fragrant flowers open in generous clusters that gracefully bend its flexible branches, and can be spotted from afar in the garden. The plant is hardy and robust, despite being slightly susceptible to blackspot. This variety has been awarded by the Royal Horticultural Society.

Rosa 'Paul's Scarlet Climber' is an English creation by William Paul. It is quite difficult to classify: often considered a hybrid tea rose, it is also linked to climbing polyantha or floribunda roses, descendants of the multiflora rose, as well as the unruly wichuraiana rose. It is the result of a cross between the Noisette rose 'Rêve d'Or' (Ducher, 1869), from which it inherited the flower shape, and 'Paul's Carmine Pillar' (Paul, 1896), a hybrid polyantha rose that passed on its superb red colour.

In 1915, 'Paul's Scarlet Climber' was awarded a gold medal by the Royal National Rose Society (RNRS). In 1918, it received another gold medal at the Bagatelle Rose Days, and in 1999, it was rewarded at the Canadian Huronia Rose Society Show.

This climbing rose is vigorous, reaching 3 to 4m (10 to 13ft) in height and 3m (10ft) in width within a few years. Its wood is flexible and sparsely thorny, and it bears dark green deciduous foliage composed of leaves divided into 3 to 5 large leaflets with a finely toothed margin. After the spring flowering, it is not uncommon for it to be susceptible to blackspot, especially in humid climates, or powdery mildew in dry situations, without causing significant damage to the plant if it is well-fed and watered. Its abundant flowering takes place in May-June, and lasts for 3 or 4 weeks. The flowers, 6 to 7cm (2 to 3in) wide, are semi-double to double, with about 30 petals arranged in cups and grouped in tight clusters of 3 to 6. They are scarlet red when they first open, then turn an extremely bright and warm pink-red. The flowering is followed by the formation of numerous small fruits called hips, which are appreciated by birds. The hips persist until late winter.

'Paul's Scarlet Climber' is easy to grow and extremely rewarding. It can beautifully adorn pergolas, walls, or fences. Pair your climbing rose with a large-flowered clematis ('Etoile Violette', 'Mayleen', or 'Broughton Star') whose summer flowering will take over: the combination of these two plants works perfectly. Red-flowered roses also pair well with white roses (Aimée Vibert, Iceberg), mauve roses (Claude Brasseur, Rhapsody in Blue, Sissi), pink roses (Madame Caroline Testout, New Dawn), or purple roses (Guinée, Sénégal, Burgundy Ice).

Created by William Paul in 1915.