Hardy, deciduous shrubDescription: Large clusters of snowy white, double blossoms in mid-late summer. Intensely fragrant. Shapely, pointed, slightly drooping leaves of rich, gray-green. Habit: Grows 5 to 8-feet high, forming a thick shrub.Culture: Prefers rich, well-prepared garden loam and full sun. Tolerates some shade.Cold Hardiness: USDA Zones 7 through 9.Jefferson documentedIn July of 1791, Thomas Jefferson placed a large plant order with the Prince Nursery on Long Island; "musk rose" was among the six rose varieties included on this order. The true Musk Rose is an ancient species of southern Europe and the Middle East that, until recently, was thought to be extinct. A related, and hardier species, Rosa moschata nepalensis, was introduced during the late 19th century that nearly superseded the true musk. In cultivation since the early 1500s, Rosa moschata plena is the parent of many important rose varieties, including the Noisettes, and is desirable for its dense habit and late season of bloom. The parent stock of this plant was discovered in the garden of a private Virginia estate and is documented to 1815 according to the family records.
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