Hybrid tea roses are the most popular roses in the world, and perhaps the most popular flowers for any occasion. They are created by cross-breeding between hybrid perpetual roses and old-fashioned tea roses. This particular roses’ beauty and fragrance boasts the most impeccable + picture-perfect form of any rose — it’s no wonder they are the most popular flower for exhibition.
Hybrid tea flowers are well-formed with large, high-centered buds, supported by long, straight and upright stems, making it perfect for indoor arrangements. These roses typically grow 3-6 feet tall depending on the variety and growing conditions. Each flower can grow from 8–12.5 cm wide at the end of each stem, rather than clusters of flowers. Hybrid tea roses offer some lasting degree of fragrance by blooming throughout the season. Hybrid teas have been cultivated in almost every color from pink, yellow, white, orange, red, green, and purple, — with many extraordinary bi-colors to choose from, with the exception of blue.
Pruning and Caring for Hybrid Tea Roses
Hybrid tea roses are easy to care for and should be planted in loamy soil much like other varieties of roses. Their growing needs are also similar. Much like most roses, hybrid teas require 6 hours of direct sun per day + good drainage, regular water, rose food and the same basic rose care you would give to all roses. Tea roses may also do well with partly shaded areas that get early-morning and late afternoon sun. If you have a bright shade area under a limbed up tree for example, roses can still do well, but direct sun is best.
In mild winter zones, hybrid tea roses need special pruning occasionally. By winter when hybrid teas are very large and have grown 5-7 feet or more and are looking very lanky, it’s time to prune them back quite a bit. On an established tea rose bush, you can prune the canes down to 2-4 feet. In general, you should leave four to five major canes with an average height of 3 feet when done.
Be sure to remove older less productive canes at the base, this will trigger new cane growth in the spring. Also, cut out all spindly and diseased wood. Cut away all the side branches leaving 4-5 major canes. This pruning process will keep your hybrid tea roses healthy and will also result in more blooms, which is surely desired.
Now, since this is the month of celebration, stop by GSCO today + grab some beautiful tea roses for your garden or for a gift. We hope you’ll make Garden Supply Company part of your gift-giving and decorating destination.