Very ancient roses, maybe a cross between "R. canina" and "R. damascena" "or between "R. canina" and "R. gallica", of Near Eastern origin. The Alba Roses propagated throughout Europe during the Roman Empire. Strong, upright plants reaching up to m. 2,50, straight branches with sparse strong thorns, grey-green leaves with a bluish hue, they produce white or pink semi-double or double scented flowers.
Since the Middle Ages the Alba Semiplena has been used in Bulgaria together with the Kazanlik rose to produce essence of roses. This same variety grows in the wild from Kurdistan, to Caucasus, to China.
As we mentioned in the introduction, during trips to Pakistan and to India we found a white semi-double Alba growing at m. 2800 altitude first in Baltistan, later in Himachal Pradesh. The Pakistan National Rose Society, in its 1997 yearbook, lists R. x alba among Pakistan.
Alba Rose
Le rose Alba sono Europee e di origini molto antiche: una di esse, la Alba Semiplena compariva nello stemma degli York nella famosa Guerra delle due rose.
