Floribunda rose (Rosa 'Wekplapep' SCENTIMENTAL)
Striking Floribunda rose, Rosa 'Wekplapep' SCENTIMENTAL, offers showy, fragrant, red and white striped blooms from May to frost. Hardy zones 4-9.
Complete Plant Information
Overview
The Rosa ‘Wekplapep’ SCENTIMENTAL, commonly known as a Floribunda rose, is highly valued for its uniquely patterned, fully double flowers that display an irregular striping of red and white. Carrying a strong, spicy fragrance, this variety brings exceptional visual interest and scent to the garden from early summer until the first heavy frost. It is a robust, bushy, upright shrub, making it an excellent choice for gardeners seeking reliable seasonal color.
As a Floribunda rose, Rosa ‘Wekplapep’ SCENTIMENTAL produces continuous clusters of blooms, contrasting with hybrid teas that often produce single flowers per stem. The combination of its eye-catching blooms and fragrant nature cements its reputation as a garden standout, exemplified by its status as a 1997 AARS winner.
This shrub thrives best when planted in a location receiving full sun, although it can tolerate some light shade. Successful cultivation of the Rosa ‘Wekplapep’ SCENTIMENTAL requires attention to moisture management and air circulation to ensure vigorous growth and the best disease resistance.
Fast Facts
- Plant Family: Rosaceae
- Plant Type: Deciduous shrub
- Hardiness Zones: USDA Zones 4-9
- Size at Maturity:
- Height: 3-4 ft
- Spread: 3-4 ft
- Bloom Time: May to frost
- Bloom Description: Red and white striped
- Sun Exposure: Full sun
- Water Needs: Medium
- Maintenance Level: Medium
How to Grow
For optimal results, plant your Rosa ‘Wekplapep’ SCENTIMENTAL in well-drained garden loam that is slightly acidic. Planting is best done when the plant is dormant, allowing roots to establish before the stress of summer heat. Ensure the location receives full sun, as adequate light maximizes flowering and disease resistance for this Floribunda rose.
Watering should be deep and consistent, preferring morning applications to keep foliage dry overnight; avoid overhead watering whenever possible. Good air circulation around the shrub is crucial for preventing common foliar diseases. Apply a summer mulch to help hold moisture, keep the root zone cool, and suppress weed growth near the base of the Rosa ‘Wekplapep’ SCENTIMENTAL.
Deadheading—removing spent flowers—is necessary to encourage the plant to continuously set new blooms throughout the season, maximizing the display of its distinctive red and white striped flowers. In colder regions within its range (like Zone 4), crowns may require winter protection. Pruning in late winter for general maintenance usually involves cutting back stems to 12-18 inches from the ground.
Landscape Uses
The versatility of the Rosa ‘Wekplapep’ SCENTIMENTAL makes it an excellent addition to various garden settings. Its robust, upright nature means it performs exceptionally well when used formally or informally as a low hedge, offering continuous, colorful blooms along borders or property lines.
Beyond hedging, this striking Floribunda rose shines as a focal accent plant where its striped flowers can be easily appreciated up close. Consider placing it in cottage gardens or dedicated rose gardens where its fragrance can be enjoyed. Grouping several plants together in small masses enhances their collective visual impact against structural backdrops like foundational plantings or fences.
Standout Features
Flower Qualities
- Showy
- Fragrant
Noteworthy Characteristics
Rosa is a genus noted for its beautiful, often fragrant, single, semidouble or double flowers borne on prickly stems. The Rosa ‘Wekplapep’ SCENTIMENTAL is a bushy, upright Floribunda rose that produces fully double, cup-shaped blooms up to 4 inches in diameter, featuring irregular red and white striping. This cultivar matures with glossy dark green foliage and notably won an AARS award in 1997, confirming its ornamental merit.
Tolerances
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Potential Problems
Roses, including the Rosa ‘Wekplapep’ SCENTIMENTAL, are susceptible to several common diseases such as black spot, powdery mildew, and rust. Proactive cultural practices are the best primary defense; ensure good air movement and avoid overhead watering, especially in humid climates. When preventative measures are insufficient, regular fungicide applications throughout the growing season are usually necessary to manage these issues effectively.
Common insect pests to watch for include aphids, spider mites, and scale insects, alongside borers. Inspecting foliage regularly allows for early intervention using targeted treatments or promoting beneficial insect populations. Any diseased or dead leaves should be diligently removed during the growing season and during the final dormant season cleanup to minimize overwintering fungal spores and pest populations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hardiness zones is Floribunda rose suitable for?
The Rosa ‘Wekplapep’ SCENTIMENTAL is hardy and thrives in USDA Zones 4 through 9.
How large does Rosa ‘Wekplapep’ SCENTIMENTAL grow?
This shrub typically reaches a mature height between 3 and 4 feet tall, with a similar spread of 3 to 4 feet wide.
When does Floribunda rose bloom?
This beautiful Floribunda rose starts blooming in May and continues to produce its red and white striped flowers steadily until frost arrives.
What sun exposure does Rosa ‘Wekplapep’ SCENTIMENTAL need?
For the best flowering performance and strongest defense against disease, this rose requires full sun exposure.
Conclusion
The Rosa ‘Wekplapep’ SCENTIMENTAL remains an outstanding performer in the modern garden, celebrated for its unique, richly colored, and fragrant blooms typical of the Floribunda rose class. Its medium size and suitability for hedging and accent planting offer practical design solutions. Before planting this year, confirm that your local gardening climate falls within USDA Zones 4-9 to ensure the best possible success with your new Rosa ‘Wekplapep’ SCENTIMENTAL.
Companion Planting
Selecting appropriate neighbors helps manage microclimates and draw beneficial insects to your rose planting area. Because the Floribunda rose requires well-drained, slightly acidic soil, pair it with other plants that share similar soil preferences, such as perennial Geraniums or hardy Lavender varieties. Companion planting isn’t just aesthetic; strategic placement near structural plants can also help improve air circulation around the base of the Rosa ‘Wekplapep’ SCENTIMENTAL.
Avoid planting heavy feeders directly adjacent to the rose, as competition for nutrients can reduce bloom quality. Instead, use groundcovers that don’t aggressively compete for surface moisture, provided they do not impede the necessary airflow that keeps the leaves of your striped rose dry and healthy throughout the warm season.
Seasonal Care Calendar
Spring signals the most important pruning time for the Floribunda rose; cut back canes to 12-18 inches above the ground once the danger of severe frost has passed. As active growth begins, establish a consistent, deep watering schedule, ensuring morning hydration. Summer maintenance centers on deadheading spent blooms regularly to spur continuous reblooming of the Rosa ‘Wekplapep’ SCENTIMENTAL.
In late fall, particularly in colder zones, apply a thick layer of mulch around the base of the plant to protect the crown from harsh winter freezes. Perform a thorough cleanup of all dropped leaves to reduce the number of spores or pests surviving the winter months. This preventative action is key to starting the next season with a healthy, disease-resistant plant.
