Floribunda: Sun Flare

A Rose That Has It All!

The word "classic" applies to something that has stood the test of time and has forged an individual identity. With roses, the word classic is also used to describe the form of the bud or bloom. We also define as classic those roses that, year after year, remain steadfastly popular. Sun Flare is a rose on the verge of becoming a classic.

Sun Flare was hybridized by William Warriner, the legendary rose breeder who produced a record-holding 20 AARS winners in his 24-year career with Jackson & Perkins. By crossing Sunsprite with an unnamed seedling, Warriner created a very disease resistant, hardy floribunda with bright, non-fading yellow blooms and an unusual licorice fragrance. Sun Flare's outstanding performance in two years of AARS trials earned Warriner his ninth AARS award in 1983. Sun Flare also won a Certificate of Merit in Japan and a Silver Medal in Belgium in 1981; in 1985, it won a Gold Medal at the Portland, Oregon, International Rose Garden.

But awards do not ensure success or popularity. Size, color and fragrance of bloom, disease resistance, hardiness, vigor, plant habit and blooming characteristics all contribute to a rose’s success, as does having the right name. While most classic roses possess some combination of these desirable traits, only a select few display them all. Sun Flare is a star in that elite group of roses that are exemplary in every way, and will remain popular for many years to come. Sun Flare has earned its place of esteem among roses, and richly deserves the title of "classic."

Garden Tales

The color yellow has always been my favorite — it's so versatile. Combine it with reds and oranges for a very warm, vibrant palette; with whites and blues for a cool, refreshing combination; or soft pastel pinks and lavender for a romantic, alluring display. Yellow roses, however, usually disappointed me when their color faded in midsummer heat. I soon discovered that this trait was common among yellow varieties.

When I began working in the Jackson & Perkins’ Display and Test Gardens, part of my job was evaluating new varieties. The test portion of the garden received my closest scrutiny — the Display Garden didn't get much attention other than routine care. I did notice one rose, however — Sun Flare. It had bright yellow blooms, a very nice compact, rounded form which works well for landscaping, and it never really needed to be sprayed for blackspot or mildew. But I assumed that it, too, would fade.

By comparing a new rose with named roses in the Display Garden, I could tell if a test rose really was an improvement over what was already available. In any given year, there were 20 to 50 new varieties of yellow roses to be evaluated. I soon found that I needed a standard by which to judge them. Sun Flare became my yellow standard. While several might look promising, most new yellow varieties pale by comparison to Sun Flare (no pun intended!). Sun Flare holds its color better than any other yellow rose in the entire J & P garden!

It's amazingly hardy, too. In 1989, southern Oregon was unusually warm. Many roses were still in bloom at the end of November. But winter hit with a vengeance in early December and temperatures dropped to -5° — much colder than normal for zone 8. It's usually not necessary to winter-protect roses here, and this cold snap took us by surprise — we lost about a third of our roses. But Sun Flare seemed unaffected, and sure enough, performed fabulously the next spring and summer.

Last year I received a letter from a customer who wanted to know if Sun Flare had been "genetically engineered." He was so impressed by its resistance to diseases and insect pests that he felt it must be the result of modern technology. His letter reminded me how outstanding Sun Flare has been all these years. Jackson & Perkins continues to develop better roses, but it will be a challenge to create a yellow floribunda that's better than Sun Flare.