When you’re looking for a beautiful rose for your garden, Osiria roses are radiant and gorgeous.
Not only are they gorgeous, but they have a delightful, strong fragrance.
Osiria roses are a hybrid tea rose that are often dark red in color with contrasting white on the reverse side of the petals.
As lovely as these roses are, you may want to educate yourself about them if you are looking to grow them or have discovered them in your new back yard.
Osiria Rose Origins
The original Osiria rose was bred by a German man, Mr. Reimer Kordes, in 1978.
Mr. Kordes bred hybrid perpetuals with tea roses. There are now roseborne colors so bright, people often think they are fake!
These roses were introduced to France by a man, Willemse, who named them “Osiria”.
While the name’s origin is unknown, many think it could be linked to “Osiris” from Egyptian mythology.
Osiris in Ancient Egypt– was a god of agriculture, fertility, the dead, the afterlife, and life, and vegetation (he seems to have quite a lot going on!).
One or more of these titles could link to the naming of this rose. The petals of these roses are velvety and bright red with a backing of bright white.
As Osiris arose from the dead, the white rose petals tinged with blood red could indicate his blood-stained rising.
Osiria Blooms
Growing Osiria hybrid roses can take some effort as they are not the easiest roses to grow. During the summer months, however, the rose will slowly produce blooms.
These hybrid roses can grow to about four feet high and three feet wide. It can take two to five years to get from planting to maturity.
Osiria roses are in the re-flowering hybrid rose category meaning they will bloom multiple times with short breaks between each time period.
Flowers will bloom from June into September. Plants grow well with a slightly erect and spreading habit.
The leaves of the Osiria rose look like average rose leaves fro the rose bush. They are dark green, have a smooth matte finish, and have little teeth at their edges. The leaves grow along the entire length of the stems.
Caring for Osiria Roses
No matter what the individual flower thinks, caring for these beautiful blossoms can be simple.
Like many hybrid tea roses, they can be finicky and require consistent care.
Pruning
Pruning occurs every so often to promote new shoots or buds.
The first prune is usually done before the plant’s active growing season. Some branches should be carefully stripped away from the inside of the plant canopy to give the plant some airflow.
Deadheading
It is important to regularly deadhead the plant so there is another flower growing, and focuses the nutrients of the plant into producing new flowers rather than decaying ones.
The act of removing the dead blooms also helps prevent pest infestations. Pests love decaying flowers.
By keeping up with the care of the rose bush, you will provide the best environment for the plant to be healthy.
Over-pruning
Be cautious regarding how much you prune your bush.
You want to cut off a maximum of two or three branches at once because much more would potentially weaken the bush.
Once the flowering has stopped, you can do your winter pruning. This should happen around October, which gives your rose a nice neatened-up trim.
Over Winter: Be cautious to ‘cover’ your rose bush if you live in a place where winters are cold.
Watering
Summer months are the most challenging for watering roses.
You should water your rose bush every five to seven days when it is warm and more if it is an exceptionally dry season.
Over cooler but dry periods, watering every ten days should be enough.
Osiria Rose Pests
Like many rose varieties, Osiria can be affected by rust, powdery mildew, and black spot.
The Snowfire rose is noted as one of the parents of Osiria.
This variety of rose is said to be susceptible to disease, so keep that in mind when caring for the Osiria.
In addition to these diseases, there are other pests that could be problematic with this rose bush.
Some of the problematic pests are aphids, caterpillars, rose leaf-rolling sawflies, leafhoppers, and glasshouse red spider mites.
You should be able to find quality sprays and treatments for bug management at your local garden center.
Sometimes just spraying bugs off with a hose will knock them off.
Pests should be managed as soon as possible. The last thing you want is to lose all your hard work taking care of your roses if it becomes infested with a disease or pest that can be avoided.
Osiria Rose Soil
Before deciding to grow an Osiria rose bush, you should verify the quality of the soil located in the area you want to plant it.
Osiria roses prefer soils that are loose and slightly acidic. The area should also get lots of full sun, sheltered from the wind.
If you are planting several Osiria roses, make sure they are approximately 20 inches away from each other.
You will also need to make sure that the soil for your Osiria rose is well-fed and taken care of.
Mulch is a fabulous addition to our rose beds that provide the bush with a great nutrient source, as well as a little shelter and warmth for the stem and root in cooler seasons to come.
Feeding the rose is extremely helpful, especially in poor soil.
Have in Mind – The Osiria rose bush requires sufficient potassium, magnesium, phosphorous, iron, manganese and boron, to remain healthy.
These nutrients are necessary for the buds to form properly and give the flowers and foliage their rich colors.
The root system requires these nutrients to grow strong and stable to support and feed the rose bush for all of its life.
You will want to fertilize your rose bush about twice a year starting with a good fertilizer in early spring, just before the July blooming season, and again in the mid-summer months, when it is blooming and growing the most.
Where to plant Osiria roses
Numerous gardeners opt to plant their Osiria roses in raised beds so that they can view them at a height that they themselves are comfortable with in their garden.
Furthermore, raised beds will allow for appropriate soil management as well as minimize the potential for pests and diseases spreading from other areas of the garden.
Alternatively, Osiria flowers can be planted in garden borders. This will provide a spectacular, cottage garden look to your landscape or backyard while also evoking a romantic element to the space.
The wonderful blooms can also be cut and brought indoors to a vase or used to create a bouquet for a special someone.
Osiria Roses – The Advantages
There are many advantages to growing these stunning roses:
- Breathtaking, distinctive blooms, you’ll be the talk of the neighborhood.
- Fabulous fragrance.
- Great for cottage gardens.
- Thrives in raised beds.
- Will happily grow in the same spot for more than a decade.
- Has multiple blooms throughout the season and continues to bloom for a long period.
Osiria Roses – The Disadvantages
As with many plants, there are a few drawbacks to consider before planting an Osiria rose in your garden:
- The shrub has the capability of slow growth.
- It can have a weak stem where the flowers bud.
- Sometimes seedlings bought from garden shops are not true Osiria roses and mis-sold as Osiria.
- They can be god for some diseases.
- They can be demanding.
Osiria Rose Care – A Summary
Now that you know quite a lot about Osiria roses and how to care for them, let’s sum it all up in an easy-to-read format.
| Osiria Roses | |
|---|---|
| Suggested Uses | Cottage gardens Beds Borders Raised beds Cut flowers Flower arranging/bouquets |
| Color | Striking red and white bi-color petals Dark green foliage |
| Aroma | Strong, pleasant scent |
| Growing | Plant in full sun Well-drained soil Avoid soil that has previously had roses growing |
| Soil Type | Sandy, clay, chalky or loamy Will tolerate most soils |
| Soil Drainage | Moist Well-drained |
| Soil pH | Slightly acidic Neutral |
| Sunlight | Full sun |
| Exposure | Sheltered from winds |
| Hardiness | Hardy |
| USDA Zones | Zone 9 Zone 8 Zone 7 Zone 6 Zone 5 |
Final Thoughts – Osiria Rose Care Guide
Although it is a little tricky to get it to grow, the stunning Osiria rose will entice you with its sultry blooms and sweet, sweet fragrance.
While it does take a little patience due to slow growth and upkeep, your hard work and true love for the plant will be worth it as these beauties will truly shine for you.
There is no flower other than the Osiria rose that is as flamboyant as it is. The wow factor is on another level with these florist-like blooms above the rest.
When you have guests over to your garden or even in your neighborhood, you will be sure to attract a few looks.