St. Patrick
Hybrid Tea Rose, Yellow Blend, Strickland, 1996
By Kitty Belendez
The St. Patrick yellow hybrid tea rose was created in the backyard of amateur rose hybridizer Frank Strickland who lived at the time in San Bernardino, California. Frank passed away in 2015. St. Patrick was one of the first roses Frank developed, and he struck gold by not only getting it into commercial distribution but it also won the coveted All-America Rose Selections (AARS) award in 1996.
St. Patrick is a cross of the apricot hybrid tea rose Brandy (seed parent) and the medium yellow grandiflora rose Gold Medal (pollen parent). Rose hybridizers say it is rare that Brandy will produce any viable seeds, but Frank didn’t know that then, so he tried the cross-pollenation between the two roses anyway. Frank was extremely lucky when he developed this prize-winning new rose from the improbable seed parent.
The bloom color of St. Patrick is variable, and ranges from a pure yellow, to a golden yellow, pale yellow, and is often tinged with green, hence the name. The vast range of color on the St. Patrick rose appears to be influenced by the weather, the microclimate and the feeding regimen.
The long, strong stems of St. Patrick have light green, disease resistant matte foliage, and the blooms don't seem to be bothered by aphids or thrips. St. Patrick is one of the few roses that will continue to bloom throughout the year even in the intense heat of summer. The 4-inch blooms have 26-40 petals arranged symmetrically, and have a light fragrance. St. Patrick makes a terrific landscape rose for any garden.
St. Patrick is my favorite exhibition hybrid tea rose, having won 125 trophies (through 2018) for me since its introduction in 1996, including Queen, Court of Honor, English Box, Bouquets of 3, 6 and 12, Cycle of Bloom, Artist’s Palette, Rose in a Picture Frame, Rose in a Bowl, many District and National Challenge Classes, and even the Judge’s Entry. In 2018 alone, St Patrick won 13 trophies for me and Bob, including Best of Show at Santa Clarita, and 3 National Challenge Classes at San Diego: the Nicholson, the McFarland, and the Swim.
St. Patrick not only has incredible exhibition form on long stems, but it has petal substance as strong as iron so it lasts a very long time (up to two weeks) as a cut flower. It also refrigerates well as it does not turn color, or lose its substance and shape under refrigeration.
I currently grow six rose bushes of the St. Patrick hybrid tea rose, all on Fortuniana rootstock. It is one of the best hybrid teas that I grow. I predict that St. Patrick will continue to be a favorite for both the rose garden and the rose show exhibitor for many years to come, especially in the warmer growing regions.
© Copyright Kitty Belendez. All rights reserved.
Photos © Copyright by Kitty Belendez
