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Rosa gallica

Apothecary Rose · Apothecary's Rose · Cabbage Rose · French Rose

Family RosaceaeGenus Rosa

A single rose with five bright pink petals around a ring of yellow stamens
FlowerBogdanCC BY-SA 3.0

About the plant

What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.

Habit
shrubPlants of the World Online
Habit
Perennial, SubshrubPLANTS Database
Flower
Deep pinkWikipedia
Native range
Albania, Austria, Bulgaria, Corse, Czechia-Slovakia, East European Russia and elsewhereGBIF Backbone Taxonomy

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Sources: Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; PLANTS Database — USDA NRCS; Wikipedia — Wikipedia contributors; GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Worth knowing

  • Grown by the Greeks and Romans, and until the 19th century the most important rose in cultivation. Its apothecary's rose is the red rose of Lancaster. Wikipedia: Rosa gallica

This source reports two treatments. Both are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1998

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around April 8, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on April 7, 2026.

  1. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  3. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

  4. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  5. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

about 12 months from start to step 5. Germination happens during step 5, in 3 days.

33% germination in 3 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Rosa p. 58Public domain
Show the original text
Rosa (Rosaceae). Germinations are characterized by two features. First is that germinations begin after several cycles and continue over several years. Second is that light or GA-3 have no effect. Germination may occur in either 70D or 40, but when germination occurs at 70 it-is usually within a few days after the shift to 70. R. gallica "Tuscany Superba" germ. 70D-40-70D-40-70D(1/3 on 3rd d) and 40- 70D-40-70D(1/4 on 3rd d)-40-70D(1/4 on 2nd d).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Rosa p. 58. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 2

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1998

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around July 7, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on July 6, 2026.

  1. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  2. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

  3. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  4. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

  5. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  6. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

    1/4 germinated in this phase.

Steps after step 4 run on after germination.

about 9 months from start to step 4. Germination happens during step 4, in 3 days.

25% germination in 3 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Rosa p. 58Public domain
Show the original text
Rosa (Rosaceae). Germinations are characterized by two features. First is that germinations begin after several cycles and continue over several years. Second is that light or GA-3 have no effect. Germination may occur in either 70D or 40, but when germination occurs at 70 it-is usually within a few days after the shift to 70. R. gallica "Tuscany Superba" germ. 70D-40-70D-40-70D(1/3 on 3rd d) and 40- 70D-40-70D(1/4 on 3rd d)-40-70D(1/4 on 2nd d).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Rosa p. 58. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

How each step is done, in Deno’s words, and what Verified and Derived mean.

Germination trials

Readers’ own records of sowing this species, published after review. Share your trial · All trials

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