Sweet Spirit is just as wonderful as its name suggests - a sweetly aromatic rose with a spirited display of dark foliage and bright blooms. Each cherry red blossom is fully double, very elegantly formed, and holds a strong, sugary scent reminiscent of ripe fruit, with notes of pear and cloves.
This exhilarating variety grows well on its own root and performs beautifully in areas with extreme heat and high humidity. As healthy as it is lovely, this grandiflora is also quite resistant to diseases, like black spot and rust. This lush mounding bush looks great in the landscape even out of bloom, and the fragrant flowers are welcome additions to indoor displays.
Genus | Rosa |
Variety | 'MEIthatie' |
ppaf | PP30,860 |
Zone | 5 - 9 |
Bloom Start to End | Late Spring - Late Fall |
Habit | Upright |
Height | 3 ft - 4 ft |
Width | 3 ft |
Bloom Size | 3 in - 4 in |
Petal Count | 35 |
Additional Characteristics | Bloom First Year, Fragrance, Repeat Bloomer |
Bloom Color | Red |
Flower Shape | Double |
Foliage Color | Dark Green |
Fragrance | Clove, Fruity, Pear, Strong, Sweet |
Light Requirements | Full Sun |
Moisture Requirements | Moist, well-drained |
Resistance | Disease Resistant |
Soil Tolerance | Normal, loamy |
Uses | Beds, Border, Cut Flowers, Landscapes |
Restrictions | *Due to state restrictions we cannot ship to the following: Canada, Guam, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands |
Bare root roses are the most common form of roses for spring and early season planting, and come in two types: grafted and own root.
Grafted roses, sometimes referred to as budded bare root roses, have roots that belong to a different variety of rose than the shoots. While the shoots will grow into the variety of rose you've selected, the root variety has been specially grown and developed for hardiness, improved resistance to common diseases, and improved resistance to certain weather conditions. The roots on any grafted rose you receive are usually already two years old, so they'll establish in your garden more quickly when planted.
Own root roses are grown from rose shoot cuttings and develop their own root system. Unlike grafted roses, both their roots and shoots come from the same variety of plant.
All Jackson & Perkins bare root roses are maintained in a suspended state of growth in our state-of-the-art wet cooler, so they'll be delivered to you with no foliage or blooms. The wet cooler has a uniform storage temperature set just above freezing and uses a fog system to provide consistent humidity of 100%, ensuring the roses remain fully hydrated and don't exit dormancy before leaving our facility. While you might see some variance in size, even within the same variety of bare root rose, all our roses meet the same rigorous standards of quality.
So, not sure which type of bare root rose you should choose? Don't worry, we've got that covered. We've researched which varieties of bare root roses grow better as grafted or own root, and both types can be planted in the early spring months, so just choose the variety of rose you're most interested in and get planting.
Though you might be surprised or intimidated when you receive a box of bare root roses filled with roots and shoots, rest assured, with the proper care, these little bundles will grow into stunning roses.
Container roses are typically available in 2-quart sizes or larger and come with established foliage that may or may not have blooms. While bare root roses should generally be planted in early spring, container roses allow you quite a bit more flexibility in planting time, from spring all the way through fall in many zones. Fall can be a good season to plant container roses because it allows them enough time to establish themselves before cold or freezing temperatures arrive.
If this is the first time your are planting a bare root rose, you may be surprised by their brown roots and dormant stem. However, bare root roses provide the easiest and fastest way of planting roses without the concern of transplant shock.
Bare root roses may appear to be dead upon arrival, but the plants actually have the advantage of being able to focus their energies on strong root development rather than having to support an extensive and stressful growth of leaves right after planting.
Bare root roses are the best option for early-season planting. In fact, late winter is the best time to plant. Our bare root roses are fully established plants that meet the highest industry standards. They arrive dormant, which makes them ideal for planting. The roots get to acclimate to native soil, as opposed to the packaged soil. Of course, since they are not in soil when you get them, there's no mess to contend with.
Due to the nature of plants and the fact that some are younger than others, there will be some variance in the size of our bareroot roses. However, they have all gone through the same quality inspections in order to make sure they meet the high standards we expect from all of our roses.
Each Jackson and Perkins rose is individually inspected and graded to meet our standards for shape, viability, fragrance, and disease resistance.
Our roses are maintained in a suspended state of growth utilizing a state-of-the-art wet cooler. By providing a uniform storage temperature just above freezing and employing a fog system to provide a consistent humidity of 100%, we are able to ensure that each of our roses remains fully hydrated and does not come out of its dormancy before leaving our facility. Bare root roses ordered elsewhere often arrive dry and shriveled. Through our exclusive preservation process, Jackson and Perkins is able to provide a fully hydrated premium bare root rose. Prior to entering the shipping container, we carefully wrap the root system to preserve the moisture and to provide a top-quality rose that is in optimal planting condition.
Our roses are hand budded by professional rose budders to ensure you receive a true-to-variety quality rose. This takes a special skill. These professional hand budders make sure the bud union lives and the rose plant becomes the premium Jackson and Perkins rose variety desired.
At the end of the rose growth cycle, when the rose plant has hardened off and is ready to be harvested, the roses are hand selected according to our top-quality Jackson and Perkins rose standards.
Jackson & Perkins is one of the most recognized names in the gardening industry. In fact, for decades rose lovers have considered Jackson & Perkins synonymous with great roses. How has Jackson & Perkins earned this reputation? Simple, for over 100 years we have brought our customers the world's finest selection of roses.
Jackson & Perkins became a leader in the world of roses by producing dozens of award-winning roses. Jackson & Perkins has won more All-America Rose Selection awards than any other US company. In addition to the AARS awards, Jackson & Perkins has won numerous other awards, including the coveted Golden Rose of The Hague and the Royal National Rose Society’s President’s International trophy, among others.
From seed to market a new garden rose can take 8 to 10 years to develop. Every year, thousands of seedlings are grown but only a handful are selected to move into the trial phase. During this time, potential new roses are grown and evaluated in different climatic regions of the country. Our rosarians are looking for rose bushes that have stronger disease resistance, vigorous growth habits, and clean healthy foliage. When it comes to blooms, they are looking for improved flower form, unique colors, and strong fragrance.
Today Jackson & Perkins offers over 200 varieties of roses that includes a broad selection of exclusive roses, historical favorites, and innovative genetics from hybridizers around the world. We have two seasons each year for roses. In the spring, we offer bare root rose bushes, bare root 36” trees, 24” patio trees, and container grown roses. Our fall season is all bush roses, and they are available in 2QT and 1GL containers.
Whether you are new to roses or are an experienced rosarian, our online store has rose varieties for you. Our website is packed with information. You will find each rose fully described and lots of articles and videos that will help answer all your questions. Our call center staff have decades of experience and are just a phone call away.
Jackson & Perkins is here to help you in every way on your rose-growing journey. There is no other plant in the garden that comes in more colors, fragrances, shapes, or forms, or performs as many functions than roses do.