What Is a Signature Rose?

Growth and Colors

• "Signature" hybrid tea rose has an upright, bushy habit. The multistemmed plant grows up to 5 feet tall and wide, though it takes well to pruning and training for life as a rose "tree" in either a container or yard. It is hardy outdoors in U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) plant hardiness zones 7 through 10.

  In addition to the standard, purplish-pink-flowering "Signature" hybrid tea rose, "Cajun Signature" was introduced in 2004. "Cajun Signature" is a sport, which means it is a mutation of the "Signature" rose and not a cultivated variety. This sport shares "Signature" rose's USDA zones, growth habit and cultivation requirements, differing only in flower color. "Cajun Signature" features white petals tinged with pure pink. The inner petals are deep pink until they unfurl to reveal their true color.

Flowers

• Not only is "Signature" rose a large plant, it produces large flowers. Each tall, slender stem produces a single bud that blooms into a 5- to 6-inch-wide flower above glossy, dark-green foliage. The flowers are lush with petals -- 35 to 40 on each flower. The color is rich, too, with deep-pink to purplish-pink petals sometimes daubed with creamy white here and there deep inside the blooms. The blooms can be a symphony of pink hues, with lighter color on the inside and slightly darker pink on the outside of the petals.

  Outer petals curl under at the tips, forming a pointed collar around the inner petals huddled close together in the center of the flowers. Like an artist, "Signature" sometimes produces only one or two flowers at a time but can bloom abundantly during spurts of creativity. In warm climates, "Signature" can bloom almost any time, but its usual flowering season is summer.

Culture

• "Signature" rose performs best in a site that receives full sun to partial sun exposure and has moist, well-drained soil. It thrives in loamy, clay or sandy soil with an acidic to neutral pH level. "Signature" rose resists mildew diseases but is susceptible to rust infections. The plant grows more vigorously and is healthier if its old or dead canes and diseased wood are cut back every spring. In warm climates, "Signature" rose can be cut back by about one-third to encourage fresh, new growth after the maintenance pruning is done.

Uses

• "Signature" is a versatile rose that is at home in formal gardens, woodland-themed environments or as a delicate specimen rising above a garden strewn with rough-hewn rocks. In containers set on each side of a door, "Signature" rose provides a fragrant transition from indoors to outdoors. Container-grown "Signature" roses are effective additions to decks and patios as well. Birds and butterflies are attracted to the plant's large, pink flowers. So consider choosing a site where you can see them stop to smell the roses.