Chrysler Imperial – dark red hybrid tea rose
This renowned hybrid tea combines fragrance, velvety colour and an upright garden habit to create a classic feature rose for borders and cutting. Large, high-centred blooms in a deep, dark-red palette appear mainly singly on strong stems, ideal for exhibition-style flowers at home. As an own-root plant it builds its structure gradually, giving a long-lived, regenerating bush with enduring impact and stable flowering. Over time you may notice how well it copes with blustery, wet British weather and heavy soil when given sensible drainage and care. The very strong, traditional rose scent is one of the finest in its class, making this an excellent choice for cutting gardens and elegant front beds. With medium maintenance needs and straightforward pruning, it settles in steadily – roots in the first year, fuller top growth in the second, then near-complete ornamental value by about year three, rewarding patient gardeners for decades.
Usage options
| Target area | Reasoning |
|---|
| Feature rose near seating or terrace |
Exceptionally strong, classic rose fragrance makes this variety ideal beside a bench, terrace or patio door, where you pass frequently and can enjoy scented evening air in summer; perfect for fragrance-seeking beginners. |
| Cutting patch in a family garden |
High-centred, exhibition-type blooms on long, straight stems give florist-style cut flowers from a small bed, with an abundant second flush extending the cutting season; well suited to home arrangers and hobbyists. |
| Formal front-garden accent planting |
Upright, medium-tall growth and solitary, velvety red flowers lend a smart, formal look that works beautifully with brickwork and clipped evergreens, evoking traditional British front gardens for style-conscious homeowners. |
| Small group planting in mixed borders |
Planted in groups of three to five at recommended spacing, it forms a coherent block of deep red colour that reads clearly from the pavement yet remains manageable in size for low-fuss urban gardeners. |
| Containers and large patio pots |
Its upright habit and solitary large flowers show well in a substantial 40–50 litre container, where own-root resilience supports long-term use if watering and feeding are kept simple and regular for busy city-dwellers. |
| Sunny beds with partial shade periods |
This rose accepts some partial shade, so it can be sited where fences, garages or neighbouring houses cast shade for part of the day, extending planting options in compact plots for space-limited owners. |
| Gardens with changeable, wet and windy weather |
Once established on its own roots, the bush anchors well and copes dependably with the sort of frequent rain and gusty conditions typical of many British sites, supporting confidence for cautious beginners. |
| Specimen rose in classic cottage-style borders |
As a single specimen framed by perennials and grasses, its dark red blooms and strong scent deliver a focal point that matures over several seasons into a long-lived feature for patient cottage-garden enthusiasts. |
Styling ideas
- Cottage Focus – Place Chrysler Imperial among soft pink campanulas and airy grasses for a romantic, scented centrepiece that matures slowly yet reliably – ideal for cottage-garden admirers.
- Front-Door Welcome – Flank the path with two or three plants, adding low blue sedges at the front to highlight the velvety blooms – perfect for homeowners wanting a smart, fragrant entrance.
- Evening Seating – Position near a bench with pale perennials to catch the eye at dusk while the perfume drifts around the seating area – suited to those who relax outdoors after work.
- Classic Cutting Row – Line out a narrow bed for straight, long-stemmed blooms, interplanted with filler foliage, to keep vases full through summer – attractive for home florists.
- Patio Statement – Grow one plant in a 40–50 litre pot backed by a wall or hedge so the dark red flowers stand out and are easy to tend – ideal for small-plot and balcony gardeners.
Technical cultivar profile
| Property | Data |
|---|
| Name and registration |
Hybrid tea rose cultivar Chrysler Imperial, registered with the American Rose Society as Chrysler Imperial, used commercially as Chrysler Imperial hybrid tea rose for garden and cutting purposes. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by Walter Edward Lammerts at Armstrong Nurseries, California, from ‘Charlotte Armstrong’ × ‘Mirandy’, introduced in the United States in 1952 via Germain Seed & Plant Co. for wider distribution. |
| Awards and recognition |
Highly decorated classic rose: Portland Gold Medal 1951, All-America Rose Selections winner 1953, ARS National Gold Medal Certificate 1956, ARS John Cook Medal 1964, James Alexander Gamble Fragrance Medal 1965. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Medium-tall, upright bush reaching around 100–140 cm high and 70–110 cm wide, with medium-density dark green foliage and dense prickling; growth is suited to feature planting, hedging and container use. |
| Flower morphology |
Large, very double high-centred blooms with more than 40 petals, typically borne singly on long stems, classic exhibition hybrid tea form, remontant with a notable second flush of flowering in suitable conditions. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Deep velvety dark red flowers with ruby undertones, ARS DR, RHS 53A/60A, opening from dark ruby buds; colour holds well, turning slightly bluer with age and only modest fading in strong sun when fully open. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Very strong, long-lasting classic rose fragrance noted for depth and richness, widely regarded as one of the standout scented hybrid teas, valued for both garden enjoyment and highly perfumed indoor cut flowers. |
| Hip characteristics |
Hip set is generally sparse due to very double flowers and routine deadheading; any hips formed are ellipsoidal, red, around 10–14 mm in diameter, with limited ornamental impact in typical garden management. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Hardy to approximately −21 to −18 °C (RHS H7, USDA 6b), with moderate disease resistance, medium susceptibility to mildew and black spot, and good rust resistance; benefits from standard preventative care. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best in well-prepared soil with regular feeding and watering, especially in heat or containers; medium maintenance, appreciates deadheading and pruning, suitable for beds, specimens, hedging and larger patio pots. |
Chrysler Imperial offers richly scented dark-red exhibition blooms, dependable remontant flowering and the steady resilience of an own-root shrub, making it a refined choice if you are planning a long-lived, characterful rose for your garden.
