HOT PRINCESS, HYBRID TEA ROSE

By Suzanne Horn, Master Rosarian

Hot Princess is a brilliant pink hybrid tea rose from the House of Tantau that puts the sizzle into the word "hot", the award-winning Hot Princess. Originally introduced as a florist rose and still a favorite of the cut flower trade, Hot Princess (Code name TANtocnirp) was bred by Mathias Tantau in Germany in the year 2000. More than that is not known about the parentage of this rose, since Tantau does not release information with regard to the breeding of its roses. However, what we do know is that this it is classified by the ARS as deep pink (dp), and Hot Princess has become the darling of rose exhibitors from coast to coast.

A wonderful rose for the garden as well as the show table, you will find Hot Princess to be one of the most striking and dramatic splashes of color in the yard. The bright, glowing pink hue is a real eye-catcher, and the beautiful blooms are nothing short of dazzling. The color remains fresh and vibrant through all stages, from bud to exhibition form to fully open bloom. As a cut flower, it is unbeatable and it has a long vase life as well.

For the rose exhibitor, Hot Princess has everything you could possibly dream of in a show rose. It has great, classic form with lovely spiral centers that hold for days. Hot Princess refrigerates well, and it has a stunning electric pink color that grabs a judge's attention from across a crowded room. In addition, long, straight stems cloaked in luxurious, dark green foliage create a complimentary frame for those gorgeous rose blooms. In short, it is what rose exhibitors like to call a "Queen Machine".

In consulting the expert's expert on statistics, Bob Martin from Rose Exhibitor's Forum, he indicated that Hot Princess is a superb exhibition rose, and that he expects it to turn up in the top three hybrid teas in his national performance ratings this year. Not only is Hot Princess a prime candidate for the sought-after "Queen of Show", it is also an excellent rose for collections, bouquets and challenge classes.

The rose bush itself is a vigorous grower, and has an upright, well-branched growth habit, reaching a height of 5 to 6 feet. The flamboyant pink rose blossoms generally come one to a stem, and the color never fades, even in the most intense heat of summer. In addition, the plant reblooms well from spring until late fall, providing rose lovers with an abundance of long-stemmed beauties throughout the growing season.

The only downsides to this rose are the fact that it has very little fragrance, and in its first couple of years in the garden, shows a predisposition to powdery mildew, at least in the Pacific Southwest. Therefore, if you are intent on growing this rose, you will want to practice a good and regular spray program. This should keep that rich dark green foliage looking clean and beautiful year round.

Although you are unlikely to find the Hot Princess rose in your neighborhood nursery, you might be able to locate it online by doing a search on Google.

In summary, if you are a lover of great hybrid tea roses or simply adore gorgeous hot colors in the garden, Hot Princess is the rose for you. If you want a great garden rose that will provide spectacular blooms for the house with the bonus of long vase life, this is the variety for you. And if you are an exhibitor, striving to hit the trophy table with regularity, you won't want to be without this rose. Hot Princess is a rose that was born for royalty, not only that of a princess but a Queen of Show! 

© Copyright Suzanne Horn.

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PACIFIC ROSE SOCIETY
Updated December 30, 2015