The John Cabot Rose - Canadian Hardy
Two main lines of roses were developed for the extreme weather conditions of Canadian winters by Agriculture Canada at the Morden Research Station in Morden, Manitoba and the Experimental Farm in Ottawa (and later at L'Assomption, Québec). They are called the Explorer series and the Parkland series.
Dr. Felicitas J. Svejda of Ottawa who died in 2016 at the age of 95 was the mother of the Explorer Series from which the John Cabot rose was bred. Born in Vienna in 1920, Dr. Svejda obtained a doctorate in Genetics and moved to Ottawa in the fifties to breed cereals for Agriculture Canada. However she was assigned to roses at the Central Experimental Farm and with the resources of government behind her, she became arguably our most successful hybridizer of roses that would withstand our extremes of temperature coast to coast. Her introductions are respected in all circumpolar countries. She named them after our early explorers, so she became known as the mother of the Canadian Explorer Roses and they are her only descendants. Her ‘John Cabot’ was awarded a certificate of merit from the RNRS in England in 1958.
These programs have now been discontinued. The remaining plant stock was taken over by private breeders and marketed along with the Canadian Artists roses as a single series. Derived mostly from crosses of Rosa rugosa or the native Canadian species Rosa arkansana with other species, these plants are extremely tolerant of cold weather, some down to −35C. All have repeat bloom. A wide diversity of forms and colours were achieved.
John Cabot
Roses: Rugosa
One of the hardiest upright arching shrubs or climbers, this vigorous rose has continuous double red 2.5' clustered flowers; disease resistant; a wonderful selection for trailing over arbors; needs full sun and well-drained soil.
John Cabot Explorer Rose will grow to be about 8 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 5 feet. As a climbing rose, it can be leggy near the base and may be concealed by underplanting with lower-growing facer plants. It should be planted near a fence, trellis or other landscape structure where it can be trained to grow upwards on it, or allowed to trail off a retaining wall or slope. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 20 years.
This woody vine should only be grown in full sunlight. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution.
Ornamental Features: John Cabot Explorer Rose is draped in stunning fragrant fuchsia flowers with hot pink overtones and yellow eyes along the branches from late spring to late summer. The flowers are excellent for cutting. It has dark green foliage throughout the season. The oval compound leaves turn yellow in fall. The fruits are showy orange hips displayed from mid to late fall. The spiny brick red bark adds an interesting dimension to the landscape.