The Best White Grandiflora Roses

White Grandifloras

• Since 1954, only two white grandifloras have been named as All-America Rose Selections (AARS), the most prestigious American rose award. The New Zealand-bred Mount Hood was a 1996 AARS Selection and the American-bred White Lightnin' was an AARS Selection in 1981. Both are only marginally cold tolerant, hardy through USDA Zone 7b. Other white grandifloras include Mount Shasta, an American-bred offspring of the Queen Elizabeth, introduced in 1963; and Maria Shriver, a citrus-scented, French-bred rose, introduced in 2004. The latter two roses are somewhat more cold-tolerant, hardy through USDA Zone 6b.

Grandiflora Popularity

• Grandifloras became popular with the introduction of Queen Elizabeth in 1954, and the rose has been a favorite with gardeners ever since. It is the only grandiflora among the 14 roses chosen by rose societies around the world to be inducted into the World Federation of Rose Societies' Hall of Fame (1989). Many grandifloras have been introduced since 1954; however, the number of grandifloras in the market has grown smaller, and some catalog merchandisers now merge the category with hybrid teas.

Uses

• Since they are relatively tall, white grandifloras like Mount Hood can be used in the middle to rear of borders. Their upright habit leads to a somewhat "leggy" or gangly appearance, and they look best when they are positioned behind smaller plants that camouflage the lower portions of the shrubs. They can also be used in dedicated rose beds. The strongly scented White Lightnin', Mount Hood and Maria Shriver can be positioned near walkways or sitting areas where garden visitors can appreciate the fragrance of the flowers.

Substitutes

• If you cannot find white grandifloras, there are some roses that make good substitutes. The old hybrid perpetual, Frau Karl Druschki, is as tall as a grandiflora (about 5 feet), with large, pure white, hybrid tea-type blooms. The fragrant hybrid tea John F. Kennedy can also grow to 5 feet, with flowers borne singly. Pascali, an offspring of the Queen Elizabeth, can grow up to 6 feet tall, with lightly scented white blooms.