At the end of the eighteenth century, as Chinese Roses were prominently introduced to the West, there was a great revolution in the world of roses. The arrival of the China Roses changed the rose world profoundly.
The Chinese Roses broadened the scents of roses. New blends became apparent when the Chinese hybridized with other roses. In A Fragrant Year, Helen van Pelt Wilson and Léonie Bell, state that Chinas are vaguely scented on their own. They remark that they are able to detect the fragrance of nectarine in ‘Old Blush‘. They go on further to say that ‘Old Blush‘ gave a pepper smell to some of its offspring; in others a fruity smell was heightened. They believe that ‘Parson‘s Pink‘ and ‘Slater‘s Crimson China‘ had little scent. The mating with European fragrances produced a pronounced fruity bouquet, notably nectarine or raspberry, that can be found in the Bourbons.
The Chinese Rose brought a change to the form of the flower. The high centered exhibition rose owes its form to the China genes. The China Roses also brought the rose world slender buds that unfurl when opening.
The Chinese Roses have a mysterious origin. Although there is no evidence of how they were developed, they are the product of a rich culture of ingenious people. They were not seen in art before the tenth century, were not a part of mythology, and little is known of their history. What we do know is that they were cultivated for many centuries in China; however, the Chinese did not prize the rose as they did the chrysanthemum, which appears in their art from long times past.
The value of the Chinese Rose should not be underestimated. Graham Thomas believes that the Chinese Roses are the species upon which modern roses are built. The work of Dr. Hurst pinpointed our Chinese roses back to four garden roses known as the Four Stud Chinas :‘Slater‘s Crimson China‘ , ‘Parson‘s Pink China‘ , ‘Hume‘s Blush Tea-scented China‘ , and ‘Parks‘ Yellow Tea-scented China‘ . There may be evidence that the China Rose was known in Italy long before the official introduction dates.
学名：Rosa chinensis
英名：Chinese Rose
别名：长春花、月月红、斗雪红、瘦客
科属：蔷薇科
产地与习性：蔷薇科属植物原产北半球，几乎遍及亚、欧两大洲，中国是月季的原 产地之一。至于现代月季，血缘关系极为复杂。月季为有刺灌木，或呈蔓状与攀援状。
形态特点
蔷薇属植物为有刺灌木或呈蔓状、攀绿状植物。叶互生，奇数羽状复叶。花单生或排成伞房花序、圆锥花序；花瓣；枚或重瓣。有多种花具备香气。在开花后，花托膨大，即成为蔷薇果，有红、黄、橙红、黑紫等色，呈圆、扁、长因等形状。月季为常绿或半常绿灌木，具钩状皮刺。羽状小叶3～5枚，花常数朵簇生，微香，单瓣，粉红或近白色。花期十月。如香水月季,由月季与巨花蔷薇天然杂交而来。枝长，常带攀援性，小叶5～7枚，表面有光泽，新梢、嫩叶常为古铜色。花有粉红、浅黄、橙黄、纯白等色，芳香，成长季节开花不绝。而现代月季是经多次杂交、长期选育而成的杂种月季品种群。灌木或藤本；叶较厚、较大而表面光泽；花蕾多卵圆形，花形丰富，复瓣至重瓣，淡香至浓香。连续开花，而以5～６月及９～１０月为盛花期。
产地与习性
蔷薇科属植物原产北半球，几乎遍及亚、欧两大洲，中国是月季的原产地之一。至于现代月季，血缘关系极为复杂。月季为有刺灌木，或呈蔓状与攀援状。喜日照充足，空气流通，排水好而避风的环境，盛夏需适合遮荫。多数品种最适温度白昼15～26℃夜间10～15℃。较抗寒，冬天气温低于5℃即进入休眠。如夏天高温持续30℃以上，则多数品种开花降低，品质减少，进入半休状况。通常品种可耐15℃低温。需要富含有机质、肥沃、疏松之微酸性土壤，但对土壤的适应范围较宽。空气相对湿度宜75%～80%，但稍干、稍湿也可。有连续开花的特质。
月季传闻
和平月季是法国人弗兰西斯.梅朗1939年在法西斯铁蹄下培育出来的。他以3-35-40的代号，将这种月季寄到美国。美国园艺家焙耶收到了这远渡重洋的品种后，立即分送美国南北各要紧花圃进行繁殖。几年后，这个新产品种东山再起，一时哄动全美。1945年美国太平洋月季协会将这个品种命名为和平，并宣称：大家确信，当代最了不起的这一新产品种月季，应当以当今世界人民最大的愿望“和平”来命名，大家相信，和平月季将做为一个典范，永远成长在大家子孙万代的花园里。 和平月季命名这一天，正巧联军攻克柏林，希特勒灭亡。而当和平月季获全美帝国主义无条件投降。当联合国成立，在旧金山召开首次会议时，每一个代表房间的花瓶里，都有一束美国月季协会赠送的和平月季。上面有一个字条写着：大家期望“和平”月季可以影响大家的思想，给全世界以持久和平。第二次世界大战期间，法西斯匪徒在离布拉格十四公里一个叫里斯底的村子里，残害了一百七十五名十五岁以上的男性，并将妇女和儿童关进集中营。战后，为了纪念这类大家，很多月季专家和一些自愿捐助的人，于1955年在这里建起了一个月季园，其中主要的品种是和平。
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