Pierre de Ronsard rose, a true marvel!

pierre de ronsard roses

The Pierre de Ronsard ® rose tree blooms with large pinkish white flowers for nearly the entire summer.

Key Pierre de Ronsard Rose facts

Name – Eden Rose 85
Family – climbing rose tree
Type – repeat-blooming rose

Height – 6 to 10 feet (2 to 3 meters)
Breadth – 6 to 10 feet (2 to 3 meters)

Exposure: full sun, part sun  –  Soil: rich  –  Blooming: mid-spring → end of fall

Its bushy aspect and energetic vigor make it very resilient… this flower was truly graced with much good! The Ronsard rose tree was bred by Marie-Louise Meilland, the wife of famous rosarian Francis Meilland. This flower has gone through many adventures before reaching the envied status of becoming one of the most sold roses in the world.

Planting the Pierre de Ronsard ® rose tree

You can set up your Pierre de Ronsard rose tree in the sun or in light shade for the hottest hours. But this rose tree needs at least 4 to 5 hours of sunlight a day to bloom well.

Plant this rose tree in a mix of garden earth and soil mix with, ideally, a layer of fertilizer lining the bottom of the hole.

As soon as it is in the ground, provide a lattice for it to climb along, and tie the branches often so that they don’t collapse.

Bare-root Pierre de Ronsard rose tree:

Pierre de Ronsard Rose plantingThe ideal planting season for the Pierre de Ronsard ® rose tree is fall and winter, provided it doesn’t freeze.

If you purchase your Pierre de Ronsard rose tree with bare roots, it is a good idea to apply root dip before planting.

  • You can prepare your own root dip yourself or buy it in stores.
  • If you got your rose tree with bare roots, plant it as soon as possible.
  • Keeping roots exposed is detrimental to the plant.

Pierre de Ronsard bought in a pot:

When purchased in nursery pots, the planting window is extended, and goes from spring to fall. Nonetheless, avoid days of dry spells and drought.

  • Water abundantly after planting and on a regular basis over the 2 following years.
  • Refer to our page on how to plant a rose tree

Fragrance of the Pierre de Ronsard ® rose tree

The fragrance is quite light, actually feels insignificant when compared to the impressive blooming.

Note that it is a repeat-blooming rose tree, and so will bear flowers several times a year.

Caring for the Pierre de Ronsard ® rose tree

Caring for the Ronsard roseThe Pierre de Ronsard rose tree is vigorous, and actually requires relatively little care when it is properly settled in. A few good practices will help you extend and even enhance blooming of these roses.

  • A rose tree fertilizer in spring will make blooming more dense, bursting like fireworks.
  • Mulch at the foot of the rose tree will inhibit weed growth and will keep the ground cool.
  • Removing wilted flowers regularly will spur appearance of new flowers.

Pruning the Pierre de Ronsard ® rose tree

If you prune your rose tree on a regular basis (once a year), you’ll be giving it what it needs to have a better growth, a nice stature and better blooming from spring to fall.

All there is to know about the Pierre de Ronsard rose tree

History of the Pierre de Ronsard rose tree

The Pierre de Ronsard climbing rose tree is a hybrid. It is a combination of 3 roses, the ‘Danse des Sylphes’, ‘Haendel’ and ‘Kalinka’.

Two fully bloomed Pierre de Ronsard rosesMarie-Louise “Louisette” Meilland, born in the Paolino family, was also from a renowned lineage of Italian rose breeders, and their love for roses was one of the traits that united them. Manou, as friends and family would call her, continued breeding flowers after her husband’s early death in 1958. The Pierre de Ronsard rose was noticed by a visiting horticulturist, M. Horstmann from Germany, who foresaw the appeal of a modern rose that looked like heirloom roses of old. The Meilland team followed through, for the greatest joy of rose-lovers to this day.

It went on to have particularly noteworthy introduction: though the initial name of the flower was “Ingres”, the final name chosen for the rose was suggested by Christine Jossien, working for the City of Paris Parks and Greens department. Indeed, 1985, the year the rose was scheduled for release, was the 400th anniversary of the famous French poet Pierre de Ronsard.

In 2006, the rose tree earned the prestigious title of “Most beloved Rose in the World”, a title that awards recognition to the most beautiful roses in the world.

To this day, it is one of the most-sold rose trees on the planet.

Special characteristics of its flowers and leaves

The Pierre de Ronsard rose tree bears large double flowers that unfurl in a subtle gradient from white to pink. Its flowers mirror the characteristics of ancient heirloom roses.

Although the fragrance is rather discrete, the Pierre de Ronsard rose tree doubles down on an extremely dense and particularly long-lasting blooming since it extends from April to October-November.

Leafage is not also the poor parent, since its stark bright green marks a welcome contrast to its delicate flowers and colors.

Pierre de Ronsard ® rose tree diseases

Meilland, in breeding the Pierre de Ronsard rose, brought to life a particularly disease-resistant rose tree.

If however you notice spots on its leaves, intriguing yellowing or any other disease on your Pierre de Ronsard, refer to our rose tree diseases page.

Smart tip about the Pierre de Ronsard

Over the winter, neutral pH mulch like flax or hemp is recommended to keep it from freezing.


Images: CC BY 2.0: temaki, depositphotos: YAYImages

Written by Gaspard Lorthiois | Loves helping out, especially when it comes to growing things. Worked in herbal medicine, runs a farm, and dabbles in tech. Master's degree and engineer.