Francis Meilland® Rose Bush

Francis Meilland® Hybrid Tea Rose: Award-winning beauty. Fragrance that lingers. Elegance that lasts.

Rosa ‘MEItroni’ PP 19,970 – Hybrid Tea Rose

What you’ll get: #1 Bare Root (Budded))

Francis Meilland® is a Hybrid Tea rose bred for romance, resilience, and fragrance. Named after the legendary French rose breeder, this variety delivers very large, high-centered blooms (5–6”) in shades of soft blush, shell pink, and creamy white. Each flower carries a rich old rose fragrance that’s strong enough to perfume the garden — and the vase.

With 37–80 petals per bloom and nearly thornless stems, Francis Meilland® is a dream for cut flowers, offering long vase life (up to a week) and remarkable presence in arrangements. Its glossy, dark green foliage stays clean thanks to exceptional disease resistance, making it a reliable performer in both hot and humid or dry climates.

Introduced in 1996 and decorated with international awards, including the All-America Rose Selections (AARS) and ADR (All German Rose Trials), this rose is beloved by gardeners and floral designers alike. Standing 5–7 feet tall on an upright shrub, it’s as commanding in the landscape as it is enchanting up close.

TL;DR?
Francis Meilland® is the award-winning Hybrid Tea rose that brings it all: giant blush-pink blooms, intoxicating fragrance, excellent cut-flower quality, and rock-solid disease resistance. Elegant, romantic, and reliable — a rose worth celebrating.

Why You’ll Love It:

• Very large, fragrant blooms (5–6") in soft blush-to-cream tones

• Strong old rose fragrance — fills the garden and arrangements

• Excellent cut rose — nearly thornless stems, long vase life

• Award-winning Hybrid Tea — AARS, ADR, Biltmore Trials, and more

• Exceptional disease resistance — stays clean even in challenging climates

• Tall, elegant habit (5–7 ft) — perfect for hedges or focal points

• Repeat bloomer from late spring through frost
  

Plant Traits

• Rose Type: Hybrid Tea

• Breeder: Meilland® (France, 1996)

• Breeder Code: MEItroni

• Alternate Names: Pretty Woman®, Alexandre Pouchkine®, Prince Jardinier®, Schloss Ippenburg

• Color: Blush pink, cream, to soft white

• Bloom Size: Very large (~5–6″)

• Petal Count: ~50–80 petals

• Bloom Form: Cupped, high-centered

• Fragrance: Very strong — classic old rose scent

• Flowering: Repeat blooming all season

• Vase Life: 5–7 days
  

Growth Habit

• Growth Habit: Tall, upright, hedge-like

• Height: ~5–7 ft

• Width: ~3–4 ft

• Spacing: ~4 ft apart

• Sun Requirements: Full sun

• Hardiness Zones: USDA 6–10 (Zone 5 with winter protection at bud union)

• Container Friendly: Best in very large containers or estate pots

• Use: Cutting gardens • Specimen planting • Hedges • Fragrant borders
  

Performance

• Disease Resistance: Excellent — black spot and mildew tolerant

• Awards:
  

• All-America Rose Selections (AARS) Winner, 2013
  

• ADR (All German Rose Trials)
  

• Portland Rose Society Gold Award
  

• Biltmore International Rose Trials
  

• Rootstock: Budded onto Dr. Huey

• Maintenance: Light seasonal pruning, deadheading for repeat blooms

Photo Credit: Star Roses