Kordesii rose (Rosa 'Champlain')
Rosa 'Champlain' is a hardy Kordesii rose producing profuse, cherry red, fragrant blooms from May to frost. Ideal for Zones 3-8.
Scroll down to discover growing tips, care requirements, companion plants, and more
Complete Plant Information
Overview
Rosa ‘Champlain’ is a robust and reliable cultivar, classified as a Kordesii rose, highly valued for its exceptional hardiness and extended flowering period. This compact shrub delivers profuse, semi-double, cherry-red blossoms all summer long, right up until the first hard frost. Gardeners appreciate Rosa ‘Champlain’ for its toughness, as it belongs to the Canadian Explorer Series, bred specifically for surviving harsh winters.
As a versatile deciduous shrub, Rosa ‘Champlain’ offers consistent visual interest without requiring the intensive pruning demanded by hybrid tea roses. Its glossy dark green foliage provides a lush backdrop to the richly colored blooms, making it an excellent choice for informal hedges or as a striking specimen plant in mixed borders.
This variety marries resilient performance, thanks to its Kordesii lineage, with beautiful fragrance, ensuring that the garden benefits aesthetically and sensorially throughout the growing season. Proper placement combining full sun exposure with good air flow will maximize both bloom quality and disease resistance for your Rosa ‘Champlain’.
Fast Facts
- Plant Family: Rosaceae
- Plant Type: Deciduous shrub
- Hardiness Zones: USDA Zones 3-8
- Size at Maturity:
- Height: 2.5-4 ft
- Spread: 2.5-4 ft
- Bloom Time: May to frost
- Bloom Description: Dark red
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
- Water Needs: Medium
- Maintenance Level: Medium
How to Grow
Plant Rosa ‘Champlain’ during the spring or fall when temperatures are moderate. The best location provides full sun, though it exhibits notable shade tolerance, which is a significant benefit. For optimal flowering and disease resistance, aim for well-drained garden loams that are slightly acidic, maintaining a medium moisture level.
Consistent care involves watering deeply and regularly, preferably in the morning hours, while strictly avoiding overhead watering to minimize leaf wetness. Good air circulation is crucial for keeping foliage healthy; ensure plants are adequately spaced. Apply a summer mulch to regulate soil temperature, conserve moisture, and suppress weeds around the base of your Kordesii rose.
Deadheading spent flowers throughout the season encourages repeat blooming from this repeat-flowering rose. In colder northern zones, provide winter protection for the crowns, similar to what is needed in areas like St. Louis. In late winter or early spring, prune as needed to maintain shape, and always clean up and destroy fallen leaves both during the season and in the dormant period to reduce overwintering harmful pathogens.
Landscape Uses
Rosa ‘Champlain’ is perfectly scaled for use where a substantial yet manageable shrub is required. Its compact 3-foot size makes it effective as a small specimen plant, drawing attention to entryways or focal points in the landscape. Consider massing several Rosa ‘Champlain’ plantings together to create an informal yet colorful hedge or screen along property lines.
This adaptable rose works beautifully within cottage gardens, blending well with perennials that share similar sun and moisture requirements. Furthermore, its inherent hardiness allows it to be successfully incorporated into foundation plantings where other less robust roses might struggle to thrive, lending long-lasting color to the perimeter of the home landscape.
Standout Features
Flower Qualities
- Showy
- Fragrant
- Good Cut
- Good Dried
Noteworthy Characteristics
Rosa is a diverse genus of flowering shrubs noted for prickly stems and attractive foliage. ‘Champlain’ is a complex hybrid classified as a Kordesii rose, known specifically for excellent winter hardiness and repeat blooming capability, offering profuse, mildly fragrant, cherry-red flowers all season long. It is a celebrated member of the Canadian Explorer Series, developed to withstand challenging North American climates.
Tolerances
- Air Pollution
Potential Problems
Roses, including Rosa ‘Champlain’, face numerous challenges primarily related to foliar diseases and common insect pests. Black spot, powdery mildew, and rust are primary fungal concerns; management starts with excellent cultural practices, such as avoiding overhead watering which keeps foliage dry. Regular preventative fungicide applications are often necessary, especially in humid or rainy climates to maintain health effectively.
Potential insect pests range from aphids and spider mites to borers, depending on your specific environment. Inspect plants regularly, particularly new growth, for early signs of infestation. Promptly remove and destroy diseased leaves during the growing season and during the winter cleanup to break disease cycles.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hardiness zones is Kordesii rose suitable for?
Rosa ‘Champlain’ is highly winter-hardy and is suitable for USDA Zones 3 through 8, making it an excellent choice for many cooler climates.
How large does Rosa ‘Champlain’ grow?
This compact shrub typically reaches a mature height and spread between 2.5 to 4 feet.
What sun exposure does Rosa ‘Champlain’ need?
While it performs best in full sun, Rosa ‘Champlain’ has notable shade tolerance, handling part shade conditions gracefully.
When does Rosa ‘Champlain’ bloom?
This Kordesii rose begins blooming generously in May and will continue producing its dark red flowers continuously until frost arrives.
Conclusion
Rosa ‘Champlain’ offers gardeners a blend of exceptional cold hardiness, reliable repeat bloom, and classic deep red color, making it a low-stress addition to any landscape plan. As a standout Kordesii rose in the Explorer Series, this shrub requires only medium maintenance to reward you with season-long beauty. Before planting, confirm your local USDA zone falls within 3 to 8 and prepare a well-drained location to ensure the best performance for your new shrub.
Companion Planting
When designing borders or cottage gardens featuring Rosa ‘Champlain’, select companions that thrive in similar soil acidity and require medium moisture but also appreciate good air circulation. Plants like Nepeta (Catmint) or hardy Geraniums work well at the base, offering contrasting foliage texture while their generally lower growth habit keeps them hidden beneath the rose’s canopy. Avoid planting woody shrubs too closely against the base of Rosa ‘Champlain’, as this can impede necessary air flow around the lower canes, which is vital for disease prevention.
Seasonal Care Calendar
Spring is the critical period for dormant pruning of Rosa ‘Champlain’, generally done in late winter to early spring before new growth aggressively begins. Once the risk of harsh frost has passed, apply a fresh layer of mulch, ensuring it does not touch the main canes, to retain cool soil moisture through summer heat. Throughout the growing season, routinely remove spent blooms to encourage the continuous flowering characteristic of this Kordesii rose. Winter preparations require ensuring the crowns are protected from deep freezes, especially in the colder reaches of its hardiness range.
