October Moon, floribunda

This new shrub rose from Paul Barden is a marvelous creation that in many ways illustrates the character of its Tea ancestry. It is bred from the Hall of Fame Miniature ‘Rise ‘N’ Shine’ and another Ralph Moore rose, ‘It’s Showtime!’, which is half Miniature and half Tea through the lovely ‘Bon Silene’. In the Tea style, the blooms are of soft hue; a unique creamy-apricot color, with the many petals (sometimes over 100!) arranged in dense layers and swirls, each petal folded down the middle to give that unique Tea look. Individual blooms are about 3″ across and come sometimes one to a stem, more often in clusters of five or more. They are long-lasting, although only lightly fragrant. They also do well as a cut flower, holding well for many days in the house. Repeat is fast and regular through the season, and unlike many roses, the petal count increases as the season gets warmer. In most climates expect a somewhat upright shrub of about 4 X 4 feet, smaller in cooler climates.